Blago Investigation: Former banker pleads guilty in hospital fraud

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

A politically connected former investment banker has admitted telling the CEO of a suburban Chicago hospital that she had to hire a contractor favored by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

P. Nicholas Hurtgen admitted Wednesday he told the hospital chief that not hiring the contractor would mean never getting permission to proceed with a major construction project.

The 46-year-old entered his plea to abetting mail fraud in a Wednesday appearance before U.S. District Judge John F. Grady.

Hurtgen is a key figure in the government's long-running investigation of corruption on the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.

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