Former WY hospital CEO accused of embezzlement

The former chief executive officer for Powell Valley Healthcare is being sued for allegedly embezzling nearly $850,000 while he was at the helm of the organization. The lawsuit against Paul Cardwell was filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court in Casper on behalf of HealthTech Management Services Inc. HealthTech, hired to provide management services for Powell Valley Healthcare, is the company that formerly employed Cardwell to oversee the company’s operations in Powell. According to the lawsuit, Cardwell authorized spending $847,934 between March and September to recruit physicians and other personnel to Powell Valley Healthcare. The lawsuit alleges that the money was actually sent to a "straw company" that did no legitimate work and kicked a "substantial" amount of Powell Valley Healthcare's money back to Cardwell.