A Feb. 14 trial date has been set for former state Rep. Robin Williams and four others accused of siphoning millions of dollars from Augusta's mental health center.
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Mr. Williams; the center's former director, C. Michael Brockman; Duncan Drugs owner Duncan Fordham; and lobbyists Rick L. Camp and M. Chad Long have each pleaded not guilty to charges they face in a 30-count federal indictment issued May 26.
All four are free on $25,000 unsecured bonds. Mr. Williams, Mr. Brockman and Mr. Camp face the most serious charge, money laundering, which carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years. Mr. Fordham and Mr. Long each face a single charge of conspiracy and health care fraud.
Mr. Williams' attorneys maintain that Mr. Williams' dealings with the Community Mental Health Center of East Central Georgia were legitimate business deals.
Federal prosecutors contend through the indictment that a number of the deals were illegal health care fraud and money laundering crimes that cheated the center out of about $2 million - nearly half of which was given to Mr. Williams in kickbacks.
The indictment alleges that Mr. Williams, who served in the General Assembly for 10 years, used his position as a legislator to get Mr. Brockman hired at the center and that Mr. Brockman gave contracts to companies with ties to Mr. Williams. Mr. Brockman was fired last year after a scathing report by state auditors.
The lobbyists - Mr. Camp, a former Atlanta Braves pitcher, and Mr. Long, who is a grandson of former House Speaker Tom Murphy - and Augusta businessman Mr. Fordham are accused in the indictment of participating in schemes to provide kickbacks to Mr. Williams in exchange for contracts with the mental health center.
Many of the suspect contracts were canceled after the state audit, but the center faced a $1 million deficit at one point last year. The center often is the only source of mental health care for the poor and uninsured in the Augusta area.
Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.
