WellPoint Named in Lawsuit Against Former Executive
WellPoint on Thursday was named a defendant in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court that accuses former CFO David Colby of sexual battery, breach of contract and infliction of emotional distress, the Los Angeles Times reports (Girion, Los Angeles Times, 6/29).
Colby resigned from WellPoint on May 30.
Outgoing WellPoint President and CEO Larry Glasscock, incoming President Angela Braly and the board of directors asked Colby for his resignation, citing an undisclosed violation of the company code of conduct.
Glasscock said WellPoint hired outside counsel to investigate Colby after hearing reports (California Healthline, 6/1).
However, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, a former WellPoint employee, alleges that Colby told her the company confronted him in August 2006 about his conduct. The plaintiff also alleges that she was fired by WellPoint after making complaints about Colby.
A WellPoint spokesperson declined to comment on the suit.
WellPoint is the parent company of Blue Cross of California (Los Angeles Times, 6/29).