Yazan B. Al-Madani, Healthcare Bribery Scheme, Ohio 2024

The last domino has fallen in a sprawling healthcare corruption case that gutted MetroHealth’s dental program for nearly a decade. Yazan B. Al-Madani, 35, of Westlake, was sentenced Thursday to more than 10 years in federal prison for his role in a bribery and kickback conspiracy that looted the public hospital of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Al-Madani, a dentist at MetroHealth, funneled cash, luxury goods, and personal favors to top hospital officials in exchange for official acts—including permission to operate private dental practices on government time.

Al-Madani’s sentencing closes the book on a four-man scheme that reached the highest levels of hospital leadership. Former Chief Operating Officer Edward R. Hills, 59, of Aurora, received more than 15 years behind bars. Sari Alqsous, 35, of Cleveland, was sentenced to over 12 years, while Tariq Sayegh, 39, also of Cleveland, drew five years. All four were convicted by a jury last year following a weeks-long trial that exposed a culture of graft, witness tampering, and systemic betrayal at one of Ohio’s most vital public health institutions.

Hills, who also served as Director of MetroHealth Dental and briefly as interim CEO, used his authority to enrich himself and his co-conspirators. Court evidence revealed he accepted cash, checks, a $3,879 Louis Vuitton briefcase, a 55-inch television, airline flights, and free use of a downtown apartment from Alqsous, Al-Madani, and others. In return, Hills allowed the dentists to run private businesses during work hours—on the taxpayer’s dime. Text messages uncovered during the probe showed Alqsous directing a $3,000 birthday tribute to Hills in 2013, with the note: “1000 dollars each is the gift from the 3 sons their father.” That same day, $3,000 landed in Hills’ bank account.

The racketeering conspiracy stretched from 2008 to 2016 and included witness tampering, as defendants pressured employees not to cooperate with investigators. Evidence showed Alqsous, Al-Madani, and others made regular cash deposits into Hills’ accounts after meetings at high-end restaurants. The scheme didn’t just bleed MetroHealth—it endangered patient care, undermined trust in public institutions, and exploited a system meant to serve Cleveland’s most vulnerable.

“These defendants stole from a hospital that serves the most needy in our community,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “These prison sentences underscore that people who abuse positions of trust to enrich themselves will be held accountable.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith added that the case revealed a “pervasive pattern of fraud” and praised the joint task force that dismantled the operation, including the IRS, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and MetroHealth officials.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost didn’t mince words: “These four criminals hit Ohio’s taxpayers and healthcare system right in the teeth. With today’s sentence, justice struck back.” Acting IRS Special Agent in Charge William Cheung emphasized that the coordinated multi-agency effort was key to cracking the case, calling it a textbook example of how to take down entrenched public corruption. The MetroHealth scandal now stands as a grim warning: when greed infects public service, the entire community pays the price.

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