Former HealthSouth Controller Is Indicted

Former HealthSouth Corp. Controller Hannibal Sonny Crumpler was indicted by a grand jury on fraud charges, U.S. Atty. Alice Martin said.

Crumpler, 44, allegedly met with other senior HealthSouth executives to figure out how to inflate earnings to boost the stock price to meet Wall Street expectations, Martin said.

“We vehemently deny” the charges, Crumpler said.

Crumpler’s indictment -- he is charged with wire, mail and securities fraud -- raises to 17 the number of executives prosecutors have charged in direct connection with the $2.7-billion accounting fraud at the Birmingham, Ala.-based company.