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Published Dec. 28 in the News Enterprise Manakee sale ad causes stir By
BRIAN WALKER ELIZABETHTOWN — Being under federal indictment for allegedly using his private ambulance company to bilk Medicare is not going to stop James Manakee from selling the troubled business, he said. Prosecutors have taken objection to that notion, saying that if convicted, Manakee and two business associates face possible forfeiture of the business to settle debts and fines. Manakee posted an online classified ad Dec. 21 to sell the business on the Web site www.hultgren.org. The site tracks national and regional news and actions of emergency medical workers. The operator of the site, John Hultgren, said the listing was done free after he verified that the information about the sale was accurate. Although the ad offers a $10,000 finder's fee, no mention is made of the company's legal woes. Manakee, 71, of Sonora, and associates Conna Bradley, 47, and Roger J. Hawke, 67, both of Upton, were indicted by a grand jury in Louisville's U.S. District Court in July. The 29 counts charge the three operators of the Manakee Medical Transfer Service Inc. with health care fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud and mail fraud. Federal prosecutors said the case is limited to the transportation company and is not connected to the family funeral business. Manakee said he sees no reason why he shouldn't sell. "I don't know of anything that would be wrong with me selling it, even though I'm under indictment," he said. "I intend to keep it for sale until they (prosecutors) tell me I can't." Calls to Manakee's Louisville attorney, Scott Cox, were not returned. When contacted late Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hancy Jones III said he was unaware that Manakee was attempting to sell the business. Jones said it is likely that some action will be taken in the matter. "This brings up some serious legal questions, considering the nature and severity of the charges," Jones said. If convicted on all counts, Manakee and Hawke could get 260 years in prison and $7 million in fines each. If Bradley is convicted on all counts, the penalty could be 255 years in prison and $6.75 million in fines. A trial date of Feb. 11 has been set for the trio in Louisville's U.S. District Court with Judge John Heyburn, Jones said.
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