Former Canopy Financial executive agrees to plead guilty to health care fraud

Ex-health care exec. to plead guilty to wire fraud

CHICAGO — A former executive of the bankrupt health care company Canopy Financial Inc. has agreed to plead guilty in an alleged multimillion-dollar fraud.

Court documents released Wednesday say former chief technology officer Anthony Banas will plead guilty to wire fraud.

Chicago-based Canopy was known as one of the nation’s fastest growing businesses before its 2009 bankruptcy. Many clients relied on it to pay medical bills.

Banas and former chief operating officer, Jeremy Blackburn, have been charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

Banas’ agreement says he participated in transferring $60 million of investor funds and misappropriating $18 million in health care savings accounts.

Messages left for defense attorneys weren’t immediately returned.