The Otago District Health Board has rejected speculation its legal costs for the $16.9 million fraud trial which ended in two convictions last Friday will be more than $3 million.
Sacked health board employee Michael Swann and business associate Kerry Harford were found guilty of fraud on Friday night and are on remand, likely to be sentenced in February.
Health board chairman Richard Thomson contacted the Otago Daily Times on Saturday, rejecting an unconfirmed report the health board faced an overall legal bill of $3 million. He had stated the bill was expected to be $1 million.
Mr Thomson was aware there were "some parties" in Dunedin speculating the bill would be $3 million.
Mr Thomson also wanted clarification that he joined the health board in December 2000 and became its chairman in 2001, the same year Ross Black left.
Mr Black was chairman from 1998 until then.
