PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - FBI agents arrived at Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in both Beaver County and Mt. Lebanon Thursday, executing court-issued federal search warrants. No further details are available at this time.
In late August, the Justice Department sent letters to governors of four states - one of which was Pennsylvania - asking for data to determine if federal laws were violated by ordering nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients.
Brighton Rehab has been in the news for months due to the high number of deaths at the facility.
U.S. Representative Conor Lamb has called for an investigation into Pennsylvania's oversight of the coronavirus outbreak at the Beaver County facility.
A state Department of Health report says inspectors found staff without masks, failed to use social distancing and improperly disinfected items.
The report also says Brighton failed to maintain infection prevention and control, places the residents in immediate jeopardy.
The facility has also been accused of administering hydroxychloroquine to residents without state approval, something the medical director at Brighton, Dr. David Thimons, has denied. He said the state granted consent and approval during a meeting in April and that they had consent forms from residents or legal guardians.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said his office is looking into “conditions and practices” at the Beaver County facility.
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