Vince Fumo, Imprisoned for Fraud, Hospitalized With Heart Problem
By Tony Hanson
ASHLAND, Ky. (CBS) -- Onetime Philadelphia politician and power broker Vincent Fumo, now serving a five-year prison sentence in Kentucky following his 2009 fraud conviction, may need open heart surgery.
A source familiar with the situation says that as of yesterday, Fumo was hospitalized in stable condition in the intensive care unit of a local hospital and apparently needs heart bypass surgery.
According to the source, Fumo needed another medical procedure -- not specified -- and, given his history of heart disease, a cardiac exam was ordered.
During that exam it was discovered that he had blocked arteries, including one that was 90 to 95 percent blocked and not amenable to a stent. So, he may need bypass surgery.
Fumo, a former Pennsylvania state senator, was convicted of 137 counts of corruption. His original 55-month sentence was increased to 61 months after federal prosecutors insisted that the judge's original sentence be reëvaluated.
It was not immediately clear what the next step will be, but those close to Fumo say they have concerns about his care in prison, claiming he has not received the expected heart care there.
