On May 31, 2017, the Philadelphia Ethics Board levied a $2,000 fine against former Prisons Commissioner Louis Giorla for violating conflict of interest rules that prohibit city employees from benefitting from any of their official actions for two years after leaving city employment. According to a settlement agreement between Giorla and the Ethics Board, once he left his position with the city he became a consultant for Corizon Health – a company he had contracted with to provide prisoner medical care while serving as Prisons Commissioner.

“We want to make sure the city’s getting the best deals when they enter into contracts, and that vendors aren’t being approved who have made some kind of side agreement with city officials to hire them in the future and to benefit from that contract financially,” said Ethics Board executive director Shane Creamer. He added the Board found no evidence that Giorla had prearranged his $4,000-a-month consulting job with Corizon while still employed with the city, though a photo published by the company showed Giorla posing with three top-level Corizon officials at his 2015 retirement luncheon.

As part of the settlement agreement with the Ethics Board, Giorla agreed to end his consulting work with Corizon. 

Sources: www.newsworks.com, www.corizonhealth.com