A top Chicago hospital executive resigned on Wednesday after it was discovered that he improperly distributed COVID-19 vaccines to Trump Tower and other businesses where he had close ties.
Block Club Chicago reported that the board for Loretto Hospital accepted the resignation of Anosh Ahmed, the embattled chief operating officer, following the outlet’s reporting on his links to the improper doses.
The board said it is continuing to investigate “any and all deviations from the rules and regulations” for vaccinations.
“If our review should uncover anything further that indicates our processes were compromised, there will be additional consequences imposed on those responsible for these actions,” board Chairman Edward Hogan said in a statement.
Ahmed’s exit comes after the outlet reported that the hospital improperly used city-supplied vaccines to inoculate restaurant, hospital and other support personnel at Trump International Hotel and Tower downtown, where Ahmed owns a condo worth $2 million.
The event was reportedly orchestrated under the city’s Protect Chicago Plus campaign, which is meant to target residents living in 15 areas on the South and West sides hit by COVID-19. The downtown area, where the luxury skyscraper is located, was not included, Block Club Chicago reported.
Loretto CEO George Miller said he authorized the vaccine clinic because the institution erroneously believed that the frontline hospitality industry was eligible under Chicago’s guidelines.
Ahmed also allegedly bragged in a text message about vaccinating Eric Trump, the former president’s son and executive at Trump Organization, who is not eligible for a vaccine in Chicago. However, Ahmed later claimed he was only joking, according to the outlet.
Block Club Chicago also reported that Loretto held other suspicious vaccination events, including one at the hospital president’s suburban church and a high-end watch shop which Ahmed frequently visited.
Ahmed’s resignation also came hours after the outlet reported that ineligible people who work at a steakhouse where Ahmed regularly dines were also vaccinated early.
More than a dozen Cook County Circuit Court judges were also reportedly vaccinated early through Loretto.
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Loretto Hospital is a 122-bed facility that primarily serves Black and Latino residents in surrounding West Side neighborhoods.
The hospital was chosen last year to administer Chicago’s ceremonial first COVID-19 vaccination.
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Chicago hospital exec resigns after improper Trump Tower vaccine distribution https://t.co/kRy0OQB81d pic.twitter.com/GeDt5tkfs4
— The Hill (@thehill) March 25, 2021
Not surprising. I believe much of the vaccine distribution in the early stages involved bribery, extortion and God knows what other wrongdoing ((“make a donation to my re-election campaign and I’ll make sure your [state, city, county] get plenty of vaccine”). In PA no one could say officially where supposedly thousands of doses ended up in the early days of the rollout. I just know it wasn’t coming to the left side of the state. And it is rumored that some of the vaccine was sold by Jared Kushner to foreign countries.
But most of the wrongdoing will never be found or investigated. Just glad one guy was caught.
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