News Manakee sale now off.

[Guest guest]

News: Manakee sale now off

December 28, 2001

S T A T E N E W S B R I E F

News Index | The Kentucky EMS Connection Main Index

Manakee sale now off

By JOHN HULTGREN

Kentucky EMS Connection

ELIZABETHTOWN — The sale of Manakee Medical Transfer Service is now off.

Manakee, the ambulance service owner, notified the Kentucky EMS

Connection that " The ambulance service will be off the market until March " in an

e-mail received late this morning.

Last night, WHAS-TV in Louisville ran a news story about the ambulance

service being up for sale. Another story was published this morning in the

town News Enterprise. Both stories noted that the operators of Manakee

Medical Transfer Service were under indictment for Medicare fraud and face

possible forfeiture of the business to settle debts and fines.

The Kentucky EMS Connection first published a story that the ambulance

service was up for sale on Dec. 21. That article caught the attention of WHAS-TV

and the News Enterprise.

Yesterday, of the News Enterprise contacted the U.S.

Attorney's office, which was unaware that the ambulance service was up for sale.

" This brings up some serious legal questions, considering the nature and

severity of the charges, " Assistant U.S. Attorney Hancy III said.

Manakee, 71, of Sonora, and associates Conna Bradley, 47, and J.

Hawke, 67, both of Upton, were indicted by a grand jury in Louisville's U.S.

District Court in July. The 29 counts charge the three operators of the

ambulance service with health care fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud

and mail fraud.

Federal prosecutors said the case is limited to the transportation company

and is not connected to the family funeral business.

If convicted on all counts, Manakee and Hawke could get 260 years in

prison and $7 million in fines each. If Bradley is convicted on all counts, the

penalty could be 255 years in prison and $6.75 million in fines. Trial is

scheduled for Feb. 11 in Louisville's U.S. District Court.

BACK TO NEWS INDEX

BACK TO MAIN INDEX

COMMENTS

Copyright © 2001 The Kentucky EMS Connection. All rights

reserved. News stories may be copyrighted by another organization. Original

material may be reproduced provided source is credited.