Jail Consultant Lied to Feds About Kickbacks

BIRMINGHAM, AL – Michael P. Goddard, 68, of Vestavia Hills, is facing federal charges after allegedly misleading FBI agents investigating financial connections surrounding inmate health care at the Jefferson County Jail. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the charges Tuesday, alleging Goddard knowingly lied about the source of payments he received.

According to a one-count information filed in U.S. District Court, Goddard falsely told investigators that monthly payments from a Jefferson County contractor were not related to a specific contract held by Health Assurance, LLC. Health Assurance provided health care services to inmates at the Jefferson County Jail from 2007 to 2011. The investigation began after questions arose regarding recurring payments made to Goddard through Davis & Associates, a Birmingham consulting firm, and another, currently unnamed, entity.

Prosecutors detail in a plea agreement that the scheme began shortly after Health Assurance secured a contract with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in February 2007. Almost immediately, Goddard began receiving monthly payments funneled through Davis & Associates, funded directly by Health Assurance. These payments continued until approximately October 2011, coinciding with the end of Health Assurance’s contract with the Sheriff’s Office. In July 2011, the payments shifted source, flowing from a different, unidentified entity, but continued to reach Goddard.

FBI agents questioned Goddard on August 31, 2016, and subsequently served him with a grand jury subpoena for financial records. When pressed about the source of the monthly payments, Goddard allegedly insisted they were unconnected to Health Assurance’s Jefferson County contracts. The plea agreement explicitly states Goddard knew this statement was false, recognizing its materiality to the ongoing FBI investigation. He understood the payments were directly tied to the contracts and intentionally misled federal investigators.

If convicted, Goddard faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for making a false statement to the FBI. The FBI is leading the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney George Martin handling the prosecution. The case shines a light on potential conflicts of interest and financial irregularities within the county’s inmate healthcare system, raising questions about oversight and accountability.

The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it develops, digging deeper into the connections between Goddard, Davis & Associates, the unnamed second entity, and the now-defunct Health Assurance contract. This is just the latest in a string of corruption cases plaguing Jefferson County, and we’ll be here to expose the rot.

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