‘Colossal failure’: Former LHSC CEO says his financial concerns were dismissed prior to lawsuit

New documents reveal warnings were issued to the board years ago, which a former hospital executive says were ignored. CTV London’s Reta Ismail reports.

Following yesterday’s revelations of two bombshell lawsuits filed by London Health Sciences Center (LHSC) totaling more than $60 million against former top executives, CTV News spoke with a former hospital CEO Tony Dagnone who retired in 2005.

Dagnone shared two letters he says were sent to the board in 2022, warning them of potential misconduct, and calling hospital governance a “colossal failure.”

Writing in part, “LHSC board should be aware that a substantial amount of consulting fees incurred by the hospital were allegedly paid through a third party. If there is any element of truth to this transaction practice, one or more individuals should be held to serious account.”

Dagnone says his concerns were dismissed by the board.

According to a newly obtained statement of claims, prior to the hospital filing its series of lawsuits, two of the former senior executives named yesterday are suing LHSC for wrongful dismissal.

Former CFO Abhi Mukherjee is suing LHSC for over $500,000, claiming he was fired without cause in August 2024, less than two years into the role.

At the same time, former administrative executive Bradley Campbell is seeking more than $1.5 million, alleging LHSC breached a five-year contract by terminating him prematurely.

In its statement of defence, LHSC says prior to being hired in July of 2022, Campbell had previously worked with LHSC for approximately six years as a consultant through his various consulting businesses, including through Corpus Sanchez International Consultancy Inc. which is also named in LHSC lawsuit.

Reaction continued to pour in on Thursday with the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) saying it’s time for the province to start investing more of it’s health care dollars in front line health care workers.

In a statement to CTV News – ONA said:

Peter Bergmanis of the Ontario Health Care Coalition, a provincial healthcare watchdog, agrees, “that money could have gone right to direct patient care, we have a hospital that is legendary for overcrowding, hallway medicine, wait times, or that can’t run 24/7 and they’re siphoning off for private gain, millions of dollars. Shame on them.”

All individuals named in the LHSC lawsuits are no longer employed at the hospital.

London police continue to investigate - none of the allegations have been proven in court.