Mississippi prison bribery scandal: physician indicted

JACKSON, Miss. – A physician associated with a company that provides health care for Mississippi prisoners has been indicted on bribery charges arising from a scandal involving the state’s former corrections commissioner.

Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that Dr. Carl Reddix is facing six counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.

The indictment says the 57-year-old physician began paying former Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps between $8,000 and $9,500 in cash monthly from May through October of 2014. In exchange, the company Health Assurance LLC retained contracts to provide health care at four privately-run prisons, court documents state. Prosecutors say the contracts were worth $29 million.

The physician faced a Wednesday afternoon court appearance. He didn’t immediately identify his lawyer when contacted recently by The Associated Press.

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