Just how far did Jamaica Hospital go to win the support of state Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio (D-Richmond Hill)? According to U.S. attorney for the Southern District, an unnamed hospital in Queens funneled as much $310,000 to a dummy company run by Seminerio.
It is widely believed that the hospital in question is Jamaica Hospital and its parent company, MediSys Health Network. Seminerio and recently convicted former state Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin assisted Jamaica Hospital in taking over Flushing Hospital in 1999. MediSys is reportedly interested in taking over Mary Immaculate Hospital in Jamaica and St. John's Hospital in Elmhurst. The acquisitions would give MediSys control over a sizable chunk of Queens' health care market.
While the prosecution thus far has refused to name the hospital that reportedly funneled money to the alleged front company set up by Seminerio, there is no question that the top execs at Jamaica Hospital contributed heavily to his campaign coffers. Campaign finance records show that since 1999 the assemblyman got $10,000 from Jamaica Hospital Chief Executive Officer David Rosen, $6,500 from Chief Operating Officer Bruce Flanz and $8,250 from Chief Financial Officer Mounir Doss.
That's an enormous amount of money to contribute to the campaign of a politician who was virtually assured of re-election. While it's possible that Rosen and company acted out of genuine interest in good government, it seems more likely that the hospital wanted to get a powerful politician in its pocket by putting something in his.
At the very least Rosen and MediSys have some explaining to do. If the federal prosecutor proves that the hospital funneled as much as $310,000 to Seminerio, then a huge shadow has been cast over Jamaica Hospital, a shadow that will remain until the leaders involved in what appears to be a payoff to a corrupt politician are replaced.
