The Mess at UMMS—Part I: Numerous red flags in University of Maryland Medical System contracting with board members’ firms

By Charlie Hayward
For MarylandReporter.com

Several board members of the University of Maryland Medical System have, in the words of Del. Ric Metzger at a hearing Friday, been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Indeed, revelations over possible conflicts-of-interest (COI), self-dealing, and potential ethics violations involving the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and at least nine board members raise numerous red flags from an auditor’s perspective.

Taken together, these red flags indicate board members aren’t the only parties caught with their hands in the cookie jar because the potential exists for violations of laws or regulations (or even fraud) perpetrated both by board members and/or UMMS management.

While no such allegations have been made to date, three UMMS board members have resigned; as many as four others have taken leaves of absence; and the board has asked UMMS’ President and CEO Robert Chrencik to take a leave of absence effective March 25. These resignations and leaves of absence, however, don’t necessarily signify wrongdoing.

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