Billionaire Swindler Convicted In Criminal Trial
On October 26, 2005, Heim Scrushy was indicted by a federal
grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama on 30 counts of money laundering,
extortion, obstruction of justice, racketeering, and bribery of
Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. Scrushy and Siegleman pleaded
not guilty to all charges. Scrushy was convicted of bribery,
conspiracy, and mail fraud, while Siegelman was convicted of bribery,
conspiracy, mail fraud, and obstruction of justice.
On June 28, 2007, Scrushy was sentenced to six years and ten months in
a federal prison, and Siegelman got seven years and four
months in prison.
Birmingham civil trial
On May 7, 2009, in order to testify in a new civil trial in a
Birmingham court. sued by former HealthSouth investors who are
seeking money that was lost due to the fraud Scrushy was convicted of
in 2005. On June 18, 2009, Judge Horn ordered Scrushy to pay
$2.87 billion in damages. He was found responsible for faking the
profits and assets that nearly made the company bankrupt. The ruling
can be appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court.
