PA - Dr. Cyril Wecht for public corruption, Pittsburgh, 2006
- Thread starter AeroFanRW
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:crazy: I enjoyed reading all these comments. Especially strach304's. Mr. Wecht used to be a much respected man...but...ahhhh...those brain cells just might-o-got-'im.strach304 said:
Reminds me of my thoughts recently watching some of those old goats on capital hill hashing out a judgeship. There are a lot of dead and decaying brain cells in the public eye lately who, in my opinion, shouldn't be.
I always knew I chose the wrong profession.Schmerty_Jones said:Well he traded their bodies for a free laboratory for his private practice...where he made$4.69 MILLION from 1997-2004 Nice work if you can get it ..since they were unidentified how did they give consent????
AndI thought the funeral homes were making a killing!- Joined
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Wecht resigned as Medical Examiner today.
"The 39-page indictment outlines dozens of counts against Dr. Wecht, 74, who investigators say billed private clients of his business, Cyril H. Wecht and Pathology Associates Inc., for expenses he illegally charged to Allegheny County.
U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan outlined the indictment at a news conference yesterday, including a charge that Dr. Wecht provided bodies that went unclaimed at the coroner's office for use as cadavers in the forensic sciences program at Carlow University. The government said the bodies were provided at no cost in exchange for lab space for his private practice.
A cadaver typically costs between $1,800 and $4,000.
Ms. Buchanan would not say how many bodies were involved but that there were several each month. The indictment said the practice went on from June 2003 to December 2005.
"Cyril Wecht allowed the bodies to be used by the school for practice," Ms. Buchanan said.
Carlow University officials in a statement yesterday denied there was any kind of trade agreement with Dr. Wecht for use of its labs.
"Carlow provided facilities to Dr. Wecht for the purpose of teaching autopsy procedure as part of the course of instruction in the university's forensic sciences program," the statement read. "At no time, did Carlow trade laboratory space for cadavers."
The college said it believed Dr. Wecht was acting lawfully and that the autopsies were performed as part of his private practice and had no relation to his duties as the county coroner.
Ms. Buchanan said that a body in Pennsylvania should not be autopsied unless the cause of death is unclear. In these instances with the unclaimed bodies, there was no need for an autopsy, she said.
The government also alleged that:
Dr. Wecht used county resources, including office equipment, vehicles and employees, for his private business. Ms. Buchanan could not put a dollar figure on the amount of money involved in that part of the charges.
Dr. Wecht overbilled his private clients. The indictment charges him with having false travel agency bills generated that inflated the cost of his airfare, and at the same time, charging his clients a $90 "airport limousine charge," when he really traveled to Pittsburgh International Airport in a county-owned vehicle.
Dr. Wecht asked his clients to pay his travel expenses in checks made out to him personally, and not to his company, allowing him to not report those in his business proceeds, and instead take them as "pocket money."
Dr. Wecht asked employees of the coroner's office to perform personal errands for him on county time, including dog-walking, picking up personal mail, purchasing sporting goods and hauling away trash.
Dr. Wecht used county resources, including equipment and employees, to organize political events and to solicit campaign donations for both himself and his son, Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge David Wecht.
According to the indictment, Dr. Wecht's private business generated more than $8.75 million in gross income between 1997 and 2004. Dr. Wecht, the sole owner of the business, earned more than $4.65 million in officer compensation during that same time frame.
He told the IRS that from 1998 to 2004, 100 percent of his time was devoted to his private business, the indictment alleges. "
Full article: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/06021/641975.stm
"The 39-page indictment outlines dozens of counts against Dr. Wecht, 74, who investigators say billed private clients of his business, Cyril H. Wecht and Pathology Associates Inc., for expenses he illegally charged to Allegheny County.
U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan outlined the indictment at a news conference yesterday, including a charge that Dr. Wecht provided bodies that went unclaimed at the coroner's office for use as cadavers in the forensic sciences program at Carlow University. The government said the bodies were provided at no cost in exchange for lab space for his private practice.
A cadaver typically costs between $1,800 and $4,000.
Ms. Buchanan would not say how many bodies were involved but that there were several each month. The indictment said the practice went on from June 2003 to December 2005.
"Cyril Wecht allowed the bodies to be used by the school for practice," Ms. Buchanan said.
Carlow University officials in a statement yesterday denied there was any kind of trade agreement with Dr. Wecht for use of its labs.
"Carlow provided facilities to Dr. Wecht for the purpose of teaching autopsy procedure as part of the course of instruction in the university's forensic sciences program," the statement read. "At no time, did Carlow trade laboratory space for cadavers."
The college said it believed Dr. Wecht was acting lawfully and that the autopsies were performed as part of his private practice and had no relation to his duties as the county coroner.
Ms. Buchanan said that a body in Pennsylvania should not be autopsied unless the cause of death is unclear. In these instances with the unclaimed bodies, there was no need for an autopsy, she said.
The government also alleged that:
Dr. Wecht used county resources, including office equipment, vehicles and employees, for his private business. Ms. Buchanan could not put a dollar figure on the amount of money involved in that part of the charges.
Dr. Wecht overbilled his private clients. The indictment charges him with having false travel agency bills generated that inflated the cost of his airfare, and at the same time, charging his clients a $90 "airport limousine charge," when he really traveled to Pittsburgh International Airport in a county-owned vehicle.
Dr. Wecht asked his clients to pay his travel expenses in checks made out to him personally, and not to his company, allowing him to not report those in his business proceeds, and instead take them as "pocket money."
Dr. Wecht asked employees of the coroner's office to perform personal errands for him on county time, including dog-walking, picking up personal mail, purchasing sporting goods and hauling away trash.
Dr. Wecht used county resources, including equipment and employees, to organize political events and to solicit campaign donations for both himself and his son, Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge David Wecht.
According to the indictment, Dr. Wecht's private business generated more than $8.75 million in gross income between 1997 and 2004. Dr. Wecht, the sole owner of the business, earned more than $4.65 million in officer compensation during that same time frame.
He told the IRS that from 1998 to 2004, 100 percent of his time was devoted to his private business, the indictment alleges. "
Full article: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/06021/641975.stm
Wecht was recently let go as local "go to" coroner. I new I recently read an article about him, this is part of what was online today:
"The Pittsburgh coroner at the center of an 84-count federal indictment who resigned his post Friday also had been let go as earlier this month as Clarion County's go-to coroner for local autopsies.
Instead, the county has signed on with Erie's medical examiner's office for what Clarion County Coroner Terry L. Shaffer said would amount to "considerable cost savings." .....
"In a letter to the newspaper's editor last month, Wecht questioned Shaffer's then-pending decision to partner with Erie, questioning the precise cost savings and touting his seven-day-a-week and holiday availability for performing autopsies.
"My competence and expertise as a forensic pathologist has not been questioned in any of the cases I have performed for the Clarion County coroner," Wecht said, adding that the then coroner-elect had no "ethical or moral right to make such a gross misrepresentation to the taxpayers of Clarion County." .....
http://www.thederrick.com/stories/01212006-6008.shtml
"The Pittsburgh coroner at the center of an 84-count federal indictment who resigned his post Friday also had been let go as earlier this month as Clarion County's go-to coroner for local autopsies.
Instead, the county has signed on with Erie's medical examiner's office for what Clarion County Coroner Terry L. Shaffer said would amount to "considerable cost savings." .....
"In a letter to the newspaper's editor last month, Wecht questioned Shaffer's then-pending decision to partner with Erie, questioning the precise cost savings and touting his seven-day-a-week and holiday availability for performing autopsies.
"My competence and expertise as a forensic pathologist has not been questioned in any of the cases I have performed for the Clarion County coroner," Wecht said, adding that the then coroner-elect had no "ethical or moral right to make such a gross misrepresentation to the taxpayers of Clarion County." .....
http://www.thederrick.com/stories/01212006-6008.shtml
"PITTSBURGH -- Two lawyers for former Allegheny County Medical Examiner Cyril Wecht have been withdrawn from his corruption case, and a third may have a conflict of interest.
Wecht faces an 84-count indictment on charges he used county workers and other government resources for his private practice."
http://www.wpxi.com/news/8086653/detail.html
Wecht faces an 84-count indictment on charges he used county workers and other government resources for his private practice."
http://www.wpxi.com/news/8086653/detail.html
BrendaStar
New Member
I always thought that he sounded very combatative the last couple of time I heard him on talk shows. I thought that maybe he had early Alzheimer's? 
Dr. Cyril Wecht trading in body parts. Unbelievable.
Dr. Cyril Wecht trading in body parts. Unbelievable.
Alice253
Live Every Moment
Here's something I missed -
http://www.wpxi.com/news/7166707/detail.html
Former Allegheny County coroner Cyril Wecht faces new accusations of trying to intimidate witnesses.
The charges come just weeks after a grand jury handed up an indictment of 84 counts against Wecht.
I'm gonna guess this case is going to get REALLY interesting. Thanks Lili for posting that update. That's where I found this article.
http://www.wpxi.com/news/7166707/detail.html
Former Allegheny County coroner Cyril Wecht faces new accusations of trying to intimidate witnesses.
The charges come just weeks after a grand jury handed up an indictment of 84 counts against Wecht.
I'm gonna guess this case is going to get REALLY interesting. Thanks Lili for posting that update. That's where I found this article.
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Dear me, I am in shock. This goes way beyond what I thought he was accused of doing. And so many counts, it has to be deliberate, with malice and forethought.
However, there may be mitigating physical circumstances.
I thought he had what appeared to be a stroke about 5-6 years ago. He was still discussing JBR's case at the time among the talking heads. His face was droopy, his speech was slurred, and his mouth was immobile on one side. He was definitely not drunk or high, but impaired from an unspecified malady which those in my family who know expressed concern as being a CVA ( stroke).
This makes me SO sad, for the victims, as well for the irrevocably broken trust he once had, for the career and legacy he built.
He was a very meticulous, insightful, skilled forensic pathologist.
I definitely think there is a physical/ mental connection.
This is NOT the Cyril Wecht of 10 years ago.
May God help him get the assistance he needs, and may the courts be merciful unto him based upon his life's body of published work in the field of forensics.
I'm sorry- I know I'm babbling, but the stealing of corpses is just horrific.
AND, I beg to differ, but $115,000 a year's salary is pretty ordinary in 2006.
Low, for an MD, for sure.
The millions he made from being a talking head/ private consultant are another matter.
However, there may be mitigating physical circumstances.
I thought he had what appeared to be a stroke about 5-6 years ago. He was still discussing JBR's case at the time among the talking heads. His face was droopy, his speech was slurred, and his mouth was immobile on one side. He was definitely not drunk or high, but impaired from an unspecified malady which those in my family who know expressed concern as being a CVA ( stroke).
This makes me SO sad, for the victims, as well for the irrevocably broken trust he once had, for the career and legacy he built.
He was a very meticulous, insightful, skilled forensic pathologist.
I definitely think there is a physical/ mental connection.
This is NOT the Cyril Wecht of 10 years ago.
May God help him get the assistance he needs, and may the courts be merciful unto him based upon his life's body of published work in the field of forensics.
I'm sorry- I know I'm babbling, but the stealing of corpses is just horrific.
AND, I beg to differ, but $115,000 a year's salary is pretty ordinary in 2006.
Low, for an MD, for sure.
The millions he made from being a talking head/ private consultant are another matter.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/01/30/wecht.trial.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
He is charged in a 41-count indictment with using his Allegheny County staff as bookkeepers, secretaries, couriers and gofers for his private practice and his family. Wecht, who earned no more than $64,000 a year as county coroner, resigned when he was indicted in January 2006.
(much more at link)
He is charged in a 41-count indictment with using his Allegheny County staff as bookkeepers, secretaries, couriers and gofers for his private practice and his family. Wecht, who earned no more than $64,000 a year as county coroner, resigned when he was indicted in January 2006.
(much more at link)
Camper
New Member
Hmmm. I could not find a date on those links, so assume they are current.
What a career, dealing with dead bodies all of that time! That would make nearly anyone goofy.
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What a career, dealing with dead bodies all of that time! That would make nearly anyone goofy.
.
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Hmmmm, what a disappointment!
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What is going on with this case now? Has it gone to trial yet?
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http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/15613114/detail.html
more info on the trial,
now jury deliberating
more info on the trial,
now jury deliberating
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