A former Mount Sinai Hospital employee pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a bid-rigging scheme that benefited telecommunications vendors servicing the hospital and its medical school, the Department of Justice announced. Stephen Cogliano, a former information technology network employee, pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to rig bids and allocate contracts for the supply of telecommunications equipment and services, prosecutors said. The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Authorities charge that between January 2001 and October 2004, Mr. Cogliano, whose job responsibilities included obtaining bids from vendors and authorizing their invoices, accepted illegal payment from two telecommunications vendors in exchange for steering contracts their way. In a statement, the hospital said it contacted the Department of Justice after becoming aware of the conspiracy, and terminating Mr. Cogliano. Federal prosecutors said the investigation is part of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation of bid rigging and bribery in the telecommunications industry.