The former CEO of a Chicago safety-net hospital has been charged for his alleged role in a multimillion-dollar embezzlement scheme, for which two other hospital leaders and the owner of medical supply companies were indicted earlier this year.
George Miller was the CEO of Loretto Hospital from 2017 to 2022, when he was suspended and then departed amid a probe into the improper distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
During that period, federal law enforcement allege that Miller conspired with the hospital’s former chief financial officer, Anosh Ahmed, M.D., “to corruptly steer vendor contracts and other hospital business to certain medical supply companies in exchange for cash from the companies’ owner, Sameer Suhaul.”
Ahmed, Suhaul and a third alleged co-conspirator—Heather Bergdahl, who was formerly the hospital’s chief transformation officer—were charged in July on fraud, embezzlement and money laundering counts. Those documents outlined more than $15 million of funds embezzled from the hospital.
A 45-count, second superseding indictment filed Thursday implicates the former CEO and CFO of awarding contracts that caused the hospital “to transfer at least $19 million” into bank accounts controlled by Suhaul. In return, Miller was allegedly paid about $776,300 directly or through an intermediary.
Those payments and others made by Suhaul to Ahmed outlined in the new filing “were in addition to the millions of dollars in fraudulent payments charged in the prior indictment,” the Department of Justice said in its Friday announcement.
Miller is charged with a single count of bribery conspiracy. Thursday’s filing also renews prior charges against Ahmed, Suhail and Bergdahl, and includes new charges against Ahmed for allegedly underreporting income in tax returns.
The Justice Department’s charges stem from a probe launched following Loretto Hospital board members’ scrutiny of COVID-19 vaccine distributions. In 2021 the hospital admitted that the vaccines were improperly given to workers at Chicago Trump Tower (where Ahmed owned a condo). Other reporting showed shots were given to Cook County judges as well.
In statements given to press, Loretto Hospital described itself as a “victim to a crime,” and said it continues “to offer our full cooperation and support to the authorities.”
Arraignments related to Thursday’s second superseding indictment have not been scheduled, law enforcement said Friday.
Suhail and Ahmed reportedly fled to and are currently working in Dubai. Bergdahl was arrested in May after having boarded a private jet in Houston heading for Dubai.