A Federal Grand Jury has indicted 54-year-old Richard Charette on one count of conspiracy to disclose personal health information in violation of HIPPA. Charette, a UMC volunteer, is alleged to have paid "about $8,000" to a trauma unit employee for confidential patient records, and then used the information to solicit clients for personal injury lawyers. If convicted, Charette faces a sentence of up to five years in prison.
Previous WWL posts about this story are available here and here.
Our State Bar is also investigating attorneys possibly involved in this matter, from the RJ:
"Our inquiry is ongoing and, in fact, was initiated before the indictment was handed up," Assistant Bar Counsel Phil Pattee wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. "The State Bar's investigation has not been in conjunction with the apparent federal probe. Because the State Bar's investigation, pursuant to Supreme Court Rules, remains confidential, the Office of Bar Counsel cannot provide further information at this time, including the identity of any attorney who might be involved."Translation: "We got nothing."
(LVRJ)
The LV Sun had the additional information that Charette manages Accident Trial Lawyers on West Charleston Boulevard. The Sun's "review of Clark County civil court records shows [attorney Andrew] Taylor handled just three auto negligence cases between 2001 and December 2008, and 45 such cases in 2009."
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Taylor had no idea what Charette was doing.
Years ago, a local PI lawyer regularly walked the halls of UMC fishing for cases. The bar did noting. But the guy is now in prison for failing to pay federal income tax.
ReplyDeleteBar Counsel is worthless and weak.
It's HIPAA, you morons.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Taylor hooked up with a "consulting firm" in early 2009 and switched from doing CD, family law, and criminal work to 100% personal injury. We always wondered what exactly he did, now we know. Shady stuff.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Taylor went from being completely incompetent to driving a new Bentley in 6 months. He told people at court he was working with a "group of Doctors" in a "referral arrangement" and that he was the "lead attorney". It wont be hard to follow the money in and out of UMC.
ReplyDelete4:01
ReplyDeleteI'm not certain that the competency issue has been figured out. Recent personal experience would suggest that competency remains an issue.
Ironically, his client was first seen at UMC and later treated by Dr. Holper -- you know, the guy who graduated from medical school, but can't seem to figure out the difference between a "gift" and a bribe.
nothing new on this?
ReplyDeleteCharette plead not guilty today in Federal Court.
ReplyDeleteThe speculation and comments about Taylor are amusing, as he stopped using Charette's management company months ago, before the media excitement. Taylor has been seen continually in criminal courts since he left Mueller's office years ago. I haven't seen the big "switch" in practice areas.
I'm guessing the FBI has followed the money.