Two chiropractors in Minnesota were recently sentenced to years behind bars for engaging in fraudulent activity. Specifically, they participated in separate insurance schemes through which they were able to acquire millions of dollars. The two men facing prison time for fraud are 34 and 40 years old.
Juries found the two men guilty in separate trials last year. Both of them were found guilty of conspiracy and mail fraud. However, the 40-year-old man was also found guilty of wire fraud. They essentially used runners to get car crash victims to receive treatment at their clinics, and the runners paid kickbacks to those patients whom they recruited. The men did not pay the runners until the patients had undergone a certain quantity of chiropractic treatment sessions.
The fraudulent act led to millions of dollars being billed to health insurance companies. As a result, the 34-year-old man received a prison term of 90 months. Meanwhile, the 40-year-old man received a sentence of 60 months.
Anyone who is accused of fraud in Minnesota has the right to proceed to trial to aggressively fight the charges. At trial, prosecutors must prove each element of the fraud charge beyond a reasonable doubt — a feat that can be hard to achieve. This high standard exists with the goal of preventing innocent people from facing conviction for crimes they did not commit. As an alternative, those who face fraud charges can seek to negotiate plea deals with the prosecution, which may lead to lighter charges and, thus, more lenient sentences than what would result from guilty verdicts at trial. An attorney can help a defendant in either situation to pursue the best outcome for him or her given the facts of his or her case.