Arbitron CEO resigns amid allegations of false testimony

The chief executive of media research firm Arbitron Inc. has resigned amid allegations that he provided false testimony to a congressional committee. The Columbia-based company said in a statement this week that Michael P. Skarzynski resigned because he had violated a company policy in a matter "entirely unrelated" to financial performance. U.S. Rep. Edolphus Towns, chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said in a statement that Skarzynski might have provided false testimony during a December hearing about whether Arbitron's people meter would silence minority radio stations. Skarzynski is being replaced by William T. Kerr, who has been a director at Arbitron since 2007.

- Andrea K. Walker

Baltimore County Savings Bank to sell 4 branches

American Bank of Rockville is buying four branches from BCSB Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Baltimore County Savings Bank. The deal includes the assumption of about $81 million in deposits, leases at three banks and a fourth branch property. No loans are being sold in the transaction, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter. The branches are located in Catonsville, Owings Mills, Ellicott City and Baltimore City. BCSB will continue to operate 14 branches once the sale is completed. The bank was looking to cut costs, improve capital ratios and focus its business in Northeast Maryland along the Interstate 95 corridor, where many of its branches are located.

- Andrea K. Walker

Hopkins' Wilmer Eye Institute partners with Saudi experts

The Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins Medicine said Tuesday that it will partner with the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on research, education and patient care. Together, the two internationally renowned institutions hope to cure blinding illnesses, such as diabetic eye disease. They say they will train the next generation of leaders in ophthalmology. And with financial backing from the Saudi government, Wilmer faculty will work in Riyadh. At Hopkins, there will be a new endowed professorship to support the faculty. The collaboration "will allow for more rapid evaluation of potential new therapies," said Peter J. McDonnell, director of the Wilmer Institute.

- Meredith Cohn

Medifast continues feud over fraud allegations

As part of a continuing feud with a felon-turned-fraud-buster, Medifast Inc. reiterated Tuesday that a committee of its independent board members concluded that allegations of fraud at a subsidiary were unfounded. The Fraud Discovery Institute, co-founded by Barry Minkow, who once served time in prison for stock fraud, has accused a Medifast subsidiary, Take Shape for Life Inc., of a pyramid scheme. Medifast CEO Michael S. McDevitt said the Owings Mills company has filed several complaints against FDI with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Maryland regulators. On his Web site last week, Minkow said detailed allegations on the site against Medifast were made by an outside expert and not by Minkow or FDI.

- Eileen Ambrose