Possible investigations for former NUMC executive

Daily Point

Possible criminal investigation for former executive of NUMC

Just a day after Nassau University Medical Center filed a $10 million civil lawsuit against former chief executive Megan Ryan, the hospital and the Nassau Interim Finance Authority each sent referrals to state and federal officials seeking criminal investigations of Ryan, The Point has learned.

The hospital is questioning actions already detailed in the civil complaint, including the alleged destruction of documents and wiping of Ryan’s computer hard drives, approval of excessive termination payments and charging the hospital for extravagant meals and travel that was cancelled. NIFA, the county’s fiscal watchdog, is focusing on the termination payments.

Sources confirmed that the hospital made its criminal referral to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, Joseph Nocella Jr., and to state Inspector General Lucy Lang. NIFA, meanwhile, filed its referral with Attorney General Letitia James.

The referrals were sent Thursday afternoon, sources confirmed.

A spokesman for Ryan did not return requests for comment.

A spokeswoman for Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly had said in late July, after county Democrats demanded probes into Ryan’s actions, that the DA’s office had an “active and ongoing” investigation into NUMC management. But multiple sources told The Point that neither NUMC nor NIFA had been contacted by Donnelly or her office, and that the DA had not requested documents or other materials from either of them.

A spokesman for the Nassau DA said the office would decline to comment “as there is an ongoing investigation being conducted by the District Attorney’s office.”

The civil complaint filed in Nassau State Supreme Court against Ryan includes details of payments provided to 14 former NUMC employees, including Ryan, former chief financial officer Perry Sham and NUMC’s former executive director of public safety, Michael Sposato, who had previously served controversial tenures as Nassau sheriff and corrections commissioner. In May, after leaving NUMC amid the turmoil, he was reappointed as the county’s corrections commissioner. Sposato, who is earning $170,000 in his new role, received nearly $27,000 in termination payments from NUMC. The lawsuit noted that Sposato was entitled to just 50% of his sick time because he had less than 10 years of service but instead was granted the full amount.

Wednesday night, the NUMC board also voted to drop the lawsuits the hospital had filed last year against New York State and NIFA that had accused the state of withholding federal funds. The new civil suit noted that NUMC attorneys had warned Ryan that there was no “path to victory” for those lawsuits even before they were filed.

In a statement, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman did not directly address the accusations against Ryan. He said the hospital board and Democratic county lawmakers “are engaged in a willful cover up of the diversion of federal funds, stealing from our safety net hospital.”

“This is a shameful and blatant diversion from the real issue, which is: Where did the billion dollars go that was supposed to be funding the hospital?" Blakeman said.

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

Pencil Point

Not a penny

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Final Point

Will there be police backing of DA Donnelly this cycle?

In 2021, when Republican Anne Donnelly first ran for Nassau County district attorney, she enjoyed support from party coffers and contributions from local law enforcement. Her tough on crime campaign was a resounding victory.

The Nassau County Republican Committee gave her $1,026,000 to help pay for roughly $1,300,000 in television ads. And that’s not even counting what Donnelly spent on print and online ads or campaign mailings and lawn signs.

From 2021-24, various law enforcement PACs gave about $26,000 total. Those agencies included the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, Nassau County Corrections Officers Association, Nassau County Detectives Association, and the Suffolk County PBA, among others.

Things are different this election cycle.

According to July 15 campaign finance filings, covering Jan. 15 to July 15, with the New York State Board of Elections, just one police PAC — listed as “Freeport pba” — gave $500. And there are no endorsements listed on her campaign website.

Donnelly’s opponent, Democrat Nicole Aloise, has raised more money and notched some endorsements. She’s received donations from and been endorsed by the Supreme Court Officers Association, which covers New York City and counties to the north, and the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association. She also received $1,000 from the Nassau County Detectives Association.

Aloise raised $254,665.08 in contributions compared with Donnelly’s $147,914.08. Aloise spent $62,423.84 on fundraising and another $53,815.82 on campaign consultants and literature. Donnelly spent about $37,000 on fundraising, ads and mailers.

Donnelly, however, has generated far more support from elected officials and political clubs than Aloise.

At least 30 local Nassau GOP clubs combined to contribute $17,500 to Donnelly’s reelection campaign. And a host of elected officials have given money, either as individuals or through their political action committees. Those include Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joe Saladino, former Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin and other local elected officials. Nassau GOP chair Joe Cairo gave $1,000.

No Democratic Party clubs donated to Aloise, and just a smattering of elected officials contributed.

Donnelly has more money in the bank from contributions dating back to her 2021 campaign. Her total is $588,799.79 compared with Aloise’s $427,291.93.

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

Programming Point

We are making it a point to recharge the next two weeks. See you in September!

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