A former chiropractor in Minnesota was recently sentenced to prison for engaging in fraudulent activities as part of his practice. Specifically, the 36-year-old man was sentenced to 27 months behind federal prison bars for committing wire fraud. He will also have to spend a year under court supervision and pay restitution as part of his plea agreement.
The man, during a plea hearing back in January, said he billed health insurance companies over $3 million for treatments that he did not provide, or he overbilled for treatments he performed. The criminal activity took place over the course of two years. The wire fraud charge has to do with his billing Blue Cross for services he actually did not provide to a particular four-member family.
The man voluntarily gave up his chiropractor license in Minnesota back in 2017. However, he can apply for his license to be reinstated in three years if he meets multiple conditions. In addition, he must pay back restitution totaling more than $337,000, along with a special assessment of $100.
When people are accused of fraud, they have the right to fight the charge in criminal court. Prosecutors must prove every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt before a conviction can be secured. Although this is often a difficult feat to accomplish, sometimes it is in the defendant’s best interest to seek a plea deal instead of going to trial, particularly if the prosecution appears to have strong evidence to present in court. A major advantage of a plea agreement is that it may lead to a lighter charge and thus a more lenient sentence than what may result from a guilty verdict at trial. An attorney can advise a defendant of the best path to take based on his unique circumstances in Minnesota.