FBI: Man took $3M in kickbacks

He's arrested on suspicion of taking money while overseeing hospital project.

January 29, 2011|By Veronica Rocha, veronica.rocha@latimes.com

GLENDALE — A 54-year-old Glendale man was arrested Friday on federal charges that he accepted more than $3 million in kickbacks for construction contracts while overseeing building projects at Pasadena's Huntington Memorial Hospital, officials said.

FBI agents arrested David Hamedany at his Glendale home in connection with 12 counts of mail fraud for allegedly making illegal payments on behalf of the hospital to the six construction companies during the kickback scheme, according to a U.S. District Court grand jury indictment.

He worked as the hospital's construction director from June 2006 to June 2010, during which he was authorized to approve the contracts, according to U.S. attorney's office.

"Huntington Memorial Hospital is pleased with the government's action, which was initiated as the result of an internal hospital audit and subsequent referral of the matter by Huntington for criminal prosecution," hospital spokeswoman Andrea Stradling said in a statement.

She added that the hospital was fully cooperating with authorities and taking "independent measures as needed to fully recover all assets."

She declined to further discuss the charges because of pending litigation.

Hamedany controlled Barsin Inc. and Cyrus Engineering Inc. — two of the six companies — while his relative ran Sigma Solution Services Inc., which was also part of the network, according to the federal indictment.

Hamedany allegedly approved more than $3.8 million in payments to the construction companies, which also include AA Construction Company, LE Construction Inc., Optimum System Solutions Inc. and Svala Construction Inc.

AA, LE and Svala never performed work at the hospital, according to the indictment, and Optimum allegedly performed far less work than stated in its contract.

According to the indictment, Hamedany never told other hospital officials about the lack of work.

The same companies also allegedly paid more than $2.5 million in kickbacks to Hamedany and his relative's companies.

In turn, Hamedany illegally mailed out 12 checks to the three companies, according to the indictment.

|

|

|