After former state Rep. Robin Williams helped a good friend get a job at an Augusta mental health center, he started getting chunks of cash from the center, both sides acknowledged Monday.
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Defendant C. Michael Brockman, the former director of the Community Mental Health Center of East Central Georgia, returns to the federal courthouse.
Annette M. Drowlette/Staff
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However, depending on which side was giving opening statements Monday in U.S. District Court, Mr. Williams either stole the money through conspiracy and fraud or earned it openly and legitimately from the Community Mental Health Center of East Central Georgia.
A federal trial began Monday for Mr. Williams, former center Director C. Michael Brockman, Augusta pharmacist Duncan Fordham and lobbyists M. Chad Long and Rick L. Camp.
Each has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including conspiracy and health-care fraud.
Prosecutor Harrison Kohler outlined for the jury Monday a series of seemingly criminal financial transactions between Mr. Williams and the others. To start with, Mr. Kohler said, not long after Mr. Brockman started running the center, it began paying Mr. Williams $2,500 a month to rent space in Mr. Williams' office building, although no patients were ever seen there, Mr. Kohler said.
There also was the $250,000 the center paid to International Consulting Corp. after Mr. Long assured the center's board members that the state would reimburse the money - all of which ended up in Mr. Williams' bank account, Mr. Kohler said. And there's the $55,000 and $71,000 from the center that was split between Mr. Williams and Mr. Camp, he said.
The real vein of gold was mined by Mr. Fordham and Mr. Williams, the prosecutor said. After Mr. Fordham got the contract to operate the pharmacy at the mental health center, he paid Mr. Williams $357,000, although his pharmacy cannot present a single invoice or document explaining why Mr. Williams was paid, the prosecutor said.
At the time, Mr. Brockman was telling the mental health center's board that the pharmacy was basically operating for free under Mr. Fordham, but the pharmacy actually ended up $1.5 million in the red, Mr. Kohler said.
"None of this could have happened without Michael Brockman," Mr. Kohler said.
However, attorneys for Mr. Williams and Mr. Brockman stressed to the jury in their opening statements that no one hid the fact that Mr. Williams was involved with several people or companies that had contracts with the center, and each contract was approved by the center's board of directors.
The center's board repeatedly called on Mr. Williams for help during his decade of service as a state representative, said his attorney, Bruce Morris. When Mr. Williams lost his re-election bid in 2000, the center's director and board continued to seek his help with funds, personnel and financial issues, expansion of services and lobbying state officials and politicians, Mr. Morris said.
Because he worked with Mr. Long, Mr. Camp, Mr. Fordham and the private company that took over the center's billing services, Mr. Williams was simply paid for his work, Mr. Morris said. When Mr. Williams paid for a cruise Mr. Brockman and his wife took, Mr. Morris said it was a favor to a friend who gave Mr. Williams money a decade ago when the Williams family was dealing with the long illness and death of a child.
"Robin Williams never forgot the kindness that Mike Brockman showed," Mr. Morris said. "Folks, that (cruise) was an act of love, not an act of bribery."
Mr. Brockman, now 62 and terminally ill, may have ruffled feathers as a boss, but he never conspired or defrauded anyone, his attorney Jerome Froelich Jr. told the jury.
It was another former director, Campbell Peery, not Mr. Brockman, who negotiated the contract with Mr. Fordham that hurt the mental health center the most, Mr. Froelich said. The contracts involving Mr. Brockman were all approved by the board, the attorney said.
Mr. Fordham didn't want to run the mental health center's pharmacy, but he finally agreed and turned the disaster into an efficient operation, his attorney said. The contracts speak for themselves, he said, and Mr. Fordham never denied paying Mr. Williams money.
Mr. Camp, a former Atlanta Braves pitcher, trusted that Mr. Williams involved him in legitimate lobbying business, said his attorney, Jay Strongwater. He knew nothing about any conspiracy or fraud, Mr. Strongwater said.
Mr. Long, the grandson of veteran politician and former House Speaker Tom Murphy, was hired by Mr. Williams to work as a lobbyist for the mental health center.
"He trusted Robin Williams. That's why he's in the courtroom today," attorney Daniel Griffin told the jury.
One thing no one may have known until Monday, Mr. Griffin said, was that Mr. Williams tricked Mr. Long into forging a signature on the contract worth $250,000. Why his mother's post office box was listed as the address of International Consulting Corp. will be explained during the trial, Mr. Griffin said.
Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.
What's Next:
Testimony begins promptly at 9 a.m. today, U.S. District Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. said Monday after announcing his decision to sequester the jury throughout the trial. The judge also anticipates working late in the day and through the weekend.
Previous Stories
• Williams case goes to jurors
• Defendants had faith in Williams
• Questions focus on pricey cruise
• Robin Williams calls deals honest
• Williams trial witness is first to admit fraud
• Prosecutors say Williams lined pockets
• Witnesses speak of contract talks
• Jurors listen to tales of windfall
• Witness says he was 'puppet'
• Jury hears opening statements
• Fraud trial set for court today
• Trial is set to begin in fraud case
• Center considers name change for credibility
• Mental health center CEO works to get things straight
• Tangle of controversy
• Robin Williams' trial is set to begin Feb. 14
• Trials often have set path
• Health agency's board selects candidates
• Lawyer settles on deal
• Attorney could face complaints on ethics
• Center's ex-lawyer pleads innocent
• Williams' lawyer calls deals legal
• Williams indicted on fraud
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