A radiologist and former Army officer--along with two other individuals--has been indicted on multiple charges that she participated in a scheme to fraudulently secure Army contracts and sub-contracts for radiology equipment and services.
Heidi Lynn Webster served at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, and at Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley, Kan., until her discharge, after which she was contracted to continue to provide radiology services to the Army, according to an article on AuntMinnie.com. The complaint alleges that Webster and one of the defendants--retired Army Master Sgt. Lawrence Peter Fenti--formed a "corrupt partnership" in which Fenti allegedly helped steer Army contracts and subcontracts to Webster and in which the pair allegedly manufactured fraudulent invoices and bribed army employees.
The contracts ranged from $336,600 to $4.9 million, according to an article on KSAT.com.
Webster has already been cited for contempt by U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson for talking loudly and interrupting Robinson during an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. According to an article in the Army Times, Robinson said that Webster's outbursts in court prevented her from advising Webster of the charges and her rights and that Webster's "misbehavior" obstructed the administration of justice.
Robinson sentenced Webster to 30 days in jail, which will be added onto any addition sentence she receives if convicted in the underlying case. Her attorney, Louis Caskey of Kansas City, has asked the court to overturn the contempt finding, arguing that is client's demeanor in court was the result of "panic and shock" as a result of being arrested.
To learn more:
- see the article on AuntMinnie.com
- read the article on KSAT.com
- check out the article in the Army Times