Made Vendors, Staff Furnish Her Home

A senior director at Bellevue Hospital was arrested for official misconduct Sept. 30, with Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau charging that she had forced vendors and employees to provide goods and services for her home.

Farideh Tabaei, who was the Senior Executive Director for Facilities Management, solicited and approved contracts for up to $50,000, as well as overseeing Bellevue contracts in the millions of dollars. A referral from the Office of the Inspector General for the Health and Hospitals Corporation prompted an investigation by the Manhattan DA’s office.

Took $5,500 ‘Discount’

Ms. Tabaei allegedly pressured a business that imports stonework and statues to provide $6,500 in work on her home and give her two statues valued at $2,000; this business had dozens of contracts with Bellevue awaiting her approval, and was only compensated with $3,000.

In another example, the owner of an office furnishing company who had pending contracts worth more than $1 million was forced to sell six $275 chairs at $75 apiece.

Ms. Tabaei began working at Bellevue in 1986 and has held her current position for 13 years, with a salary of $199,000 per year. She has been indicted on two counts of official misconduct, which is punishable by a year in prison for each. The reported crimes occurred between July 2004 and April 2005, according to Mr. Morgenthau’s office. D.S.