It took two trials, but Robert Urciuoli was finally sentenced today.  The former President of Roger Williams Medical Center was sentenced to three years.  He will report to prison on June 15th.  If the charges weren't so serious, some of the statements made in this trial would have been hilarious.  Here are some examples:

Urciuoli's lawyers have asked that he be placed in a halfway house, noting that Urciuoli did not violate a public oath like Celona and that any illegal acts were to benefit the hospital, not himself.

"I never intended to commit any unlawful or illegal act," Urciuoli said. "Anything I tried to do was in the best interests of Roger Williams Hospital."

In sentencing Urciuoli, Lisi described Celona as "somewhat of a shakedown artist." But, the federal judge said, "as the government pointed out, it takes two to consumate the corruption that brings Mr. Urciuoli here today."


     Where do I start?  First of all, Urciuoli doesn't belong in a halfway house, he belongs in a prison with bars.  This is just another example of the seriousness of white collar crime being minimized.  It's also rather incredible that they argued that Urciuoli's crimes benefited the hospital, not him.  I may be mistaken, but if the hospital performs well, doesn't that make him look good?  Wouldn't that result in increased compensation and job security?  It looks like he benefited to me.  Finally, we see John Celona described as a "shakedown artist."  I guess it takes one to know one.

     Let's hope that a message is sent to Robert Urciuoli, and he is forced to serve his time in a prison, rather than a halfway house.  We need to send a strong message to white collar criminals, and a halfway house just isn't going to cut it.


http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/04/urciuoli-to-be.html