CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After a 22-month investigation, the Auditor of State issued their report clearing Dr. Boutros, the former CEO of The MetroHealth System of any wrongdoing. The report states “Boutros’ interpretation, and thus his actions, were not unreasonable, and, therefore, not criminal.” The Report further states the MetroHealth Board “did not effectively oversee (Dr. Boutros)’s compensation as his total compensation was processed through the payroll system, which appears not to have been reviewed by the Board or the compensation consultants, thus directly contributing to (the Board’s) unawareness.”
Kevin Spellacy and James Wooley of Hilow & Spellacy, who represented Dr. Boutros stated, “The Auditor of State, the agency with the statutory authority to determine whether there has been a wrongful expenditure of public funds, conducted a thorough two-year investigation and did not find misappropriation or concealment by Dr. Boutros with respect to his compensation.”
Wooley added, “Two years ago, The MetroHealth Board released a so-called 'report'—produced by a private firm with no statutory authority, based on an incomplete three-week review—that accused Dr. Boutros of concealment in violation of criminal laws. The Board publicly accused Dr. Boutros of fraud. That was just dead wrong. And this was tragic. The MetroHealth Board took a compensation dispute, mishandled it, and spun it into a public scandal that destroyed Dr. Boutros’ reputation, livelihood, and even his health. This is a man who led MetroHealth to remarkable success, a good man who deserved far better.”
Spellacy and Wooley also added, “Let's hope the people running MetroHealth now will do the right thing."
“I am gratified that the Auditor of State’s comprehensive investigation has confirmed the truth about my compensation and proves that I have done nothing wrong,” said Dr. Akram Boutros. “Despite how my tenure ended, my 10 years at MetroHealth were the most gratifying of my career. I love the staff and patients and am honored to have led a team that significantly improved healthcare in Cuyahoga County, and shepherded MetroHealth to become the most socially responsible health system in Ohio.”