born august alabama american businessman founder global healthcare company based birmingham alabama following investigation fbi charges brought sec charged original counts acquitted charges june jury trial birmingham months birmingham indicted alabama governor october federal grand jury montgomery alabama indictment included counts money justice new charges filed month previous trial ended attorneys accused prosecutors filing charges retaliation pleaded guilty charges convicted june transferred texas jail incarcerated placed custody alabama returned alabama order testify new civil trial brought shareholders sought damages related trial conviction june judge ruled responsible fraud ordered pay billion july released federal custody early life background born august alabama son middle class family father worked cash register mother worked nurse respiratory early age taught play piano guitar earning money odd jobs time years old went middle attended school dropped prior graduating married soon found living trailer park working manual labor jobs support family run boss quit job hauling cement decided return school earned mother advice began studying respiratory therapy year transferred later entered respiratory therapy program birmingham graduating program offered position teaching university promoted director half year tenure divorced wife children took position teaching alabama teaching met married second wife children divorced early june married jamaica guests attending group met hangar birmingham international airport boarded chartered boeing jamaica richard children career late 1970s following time teaching offered position houston texas based health care company years hired running million dollar operation included physical rehabilitation hospital acquisition divisions working moved missouri worked regional director respiratory therapy division moved houston company chief operating officer working devised plan health clinic chain presented plan company unable act company merger underway left founded inc year new company opened facility arkansas initial capital assistance partners million dollar investment took quickly growing company founded years founding publicly traded company year expanded new fields worker compensation sports medicine allowing company double earnings obtain assets close million early 1990s company expanded facilities states revenues excess million decade sports medicine programs received international attention linked star athletes including served president height employed physicians nation largest provider surgery healthcare services facilities united_states puerto_rico australia united_kingdom facilities worldwide saw patients daily earnings million highest paid ceo united_states legal battles grew 1990s largest comprehensive services company united_states ethical financial questions began arise early internal alleged fired drawing attention financial problems pressured meet certain earnings targets years later accused illegally adding costs reports physical therapy rehabilitation corporation changed funding arrangements attempt reduce exploitation payments billion insisted change affect line profits dropped percent end year time began facing additional accusations fraud investigation insurance company alabama determined billed therapy students athletic trainers aides additional lawsuits alleged committed widespread abuse billing services provided delivering poor care treating patients formal plan care march filed civil suit alleging company billion worth profit agreed pay united_states government million december order settle allegations company federal healthcare programs birmingham criminal trial february fbi announced begun criminal investigation relating trading shares possible law violations criminal complaint filed fbi chief financial officer civil charges brought sec ceo tried act indicted united_states_of_america november indictment included counts conspiracy money fraud mail fraud ultimately charged counts indictment accused intimidation threats cash payments executives committing fraud executives called family referred creative accounting filling gap group attempted hide false earnings illegally accounts fixed assets estimated insurance despite multiple chief executives prosecutors unable produce material evidence involved fraudulent accounting trial defended inside outside courtroom interviewed minutes segment called cooking books began hosting christian television wife called viewpoint backed city wide day prayer movement referred city thou art joined predominantly actions seen attempt sway potential percent birmingham population african american following month acquitted charges june montgomery criminal trial october months birmingham indicted federal grand jury montgomery alabama indictment included counts money justice alabama governor prosecutors claimed agreed pay debt accumulated failed attempt bring state lottery alabama exchange seat certificates need review board board serves state reviewing hospitals approving construction new charges filed month previous trial ended attorney accused prosecutors filing charges retaliation pleaded guilty charges convicted following trial lasted approximately weeks convicted conspiracy mail fraud convicted conspiracy mail fraud justice awaiting sentencing march probation officer filed report claiming violated conditions bond leaving orlando florida traveling boarded yacht sailed miami probation officer suggested placed house arrest required wear electronic monitoring device times united_states magistrate judge warned tolerate future requirements court placed ruled wear gps tracking device travels outside alabama june sentenced years months federal prison ordered pay years probation fine expected personally pay time prison perform hours community service sentenced day seven years months prison state years probation fine hours community service release district judge later rule required pay based debts accumulated fraudulent warehouse deal acquitted charges related deal sentencing taken custody transported federal prison atlanta georgia briefly shared cell appeal following trial conviction prosecutors indicated appeal vowed appeal convictions sentences prosecution announced desire appeal judge decision remove charges indictment prosecutors quickly dropped appeal united_states attorney indicated awaiting appeal briefly transported transfer site inmates oklahoma sent permanent location low security federal prison texas filed request asking released appeal bond rejected request released bond citing earlier ruling written district judge ruling issued bond awaiting sentencing deemed flight risk filed release february requests denied march panel judges 11th upheld charges dismissed seven charges appeal court review case denied appealed supreme_court united_states june court issued order directing appeals court review case light supreme_court ruling previous week honest services fraud statute june rejected appeal allowing public corruption convictions stand birmingham civil trial returned alabama order testify new civil trial birmingham court investors sued seeking money lost fraud acquitted opposing counsel claimed hands manager treated company personal bank continued assign blame subordinates maintain wrong closing arguments heard trial june judge horn ordered pay billion damages judge horn stated knew actively participated fraud referred ceo fraud expected appealed judgment january lost appeal civil verdict release according federal website year old moved april federal prison texas supervision community management field office san_antonio texas following halfway house moved home confinement july released federal custody
Richard M. Scrushy