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Operation Dollar Bill

A wide-ranging corruption case involving at least seven politicians and seven corporations, Operation Dollar Bill began late in 2003, following a Providence Journal story that questioned the ties between Blue Cross & Blue Shield and John A. Celona, a powerful state senator who oversaw health-care legislation.

Former Blue Cross exec dropped in Operation Dollar Bill probe

10.29.08

PROVIDENCE -- Thomas A. Lynch, the former Warwick state senator and Blue Cross executive who was a prominent figure in the origins of Operation Dollar Bill, is no longer under investigation in the long-running State House corruption probe.

Irons no longer target of influence-peddling probe

10.17.08

Former Senate President William V. Irons, who had been under scrutiny for the past four years for his insurance business with CVS, received word from federal prosecutors that he is no longer a target of the wide-ranging State House influence-peddling probe known as Operation Dollar Bill.

6.4.08: Ethics panel rethinks so-called loophole

12.19.08: Irons sues ethics panel to halt its prosecution

Split verdict in Roger Williams corruption case

Former Roger Williams Hospital executives Robert Urciuoli and Francis P. Driscoll

10.21.08: Urciuoli seeks reversal of conviction

10.07.08
PROVIDENCE -- In a dramatic ending to a long, hard-fought legal struggle, a federal jury convicted former Roger Williams Medical Center President Robert A. Urciuoli of corruption charges but acquitted another former hospital executive, Frances P. Driscoll.

Your Turn: React to the Urciuoli/Driscoll retrial verdict

Kramer and Ortiz cleared of all charges

Former CVS executives John R. "Jack" Kramer, left, and Carlos Ortiz

John R. "Jack" Kramer, left, and Carlos Ortiz had been on trial on 23 charges each for three weeks in federal court. The May 30 appeals court ruling illustrates the difficulty in proving corruption involving Rhode Island's "citizen" leguslature.

6.02.08: CVS trial: How earlier case affected latest verdict

6.01.08: Prosecutors’ dilemma: What will Celona say?

Your Turn: Do you agree with the "not guilty" verdict in CVS case?

Extra: The 23-count indictment against Kramer and Ortiz

Ex-House leader Martineau sentenced to 37 mos.

2.22.08

PROVIDENCE -- Former House Majority Leader Gerard M. Martineau is sentenced to 37 months in prison on corruption charges. Martineau, who pleaded guilty to charges in November, is cooperating with the federal investigation into corruption at the State House, Operation Dollar Bill.

11.3.07: Former R.I. House majority leader admits selling office to CVS, Blue Cross

Read the charges against Martineau

Read Martineau's plea agreement

Your Turn: React to Martineau's pleading guilty to corruption charges

Celona gets 2½ years in corruption case

01.31.07

PROVIDENCE -- Former state Sen. John A. Celona is sentenced to 30 months in prison for selling his office for personal gain. In an emotional six-minute speech in federal court, Celona expressed his remorse, noting, "I was living in a superficial world in the State House." He was ordered into federal custody March 2.

9.16.08: Board denies parole for former state Sen. Celona

State sentence adds 1½ years in prison for Celona

2.20.07

PROVIDENCE -- Former state Sen. John A. Celona today pleads no contest to two state criminal charges and is sentenced to seven years at the ACI, with four years to serve. He is allowed to serve his state time concurrently with a 30-month federal sentence. Celona admits that as chairman of the Senate Corporations Committee he was paid by three companies to take legislative action favorable to them.

Full story . . .

Read Judge Procaccini's statement, see Celona's written plea

Your Turn: React to Celona's second sentence