|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For
Immediate Release: |
|
For
Further Information Contact: |
|
May
20, 2005
|
Office
of The Attorney General
-
Peter C. Harvey,
Attorney General
Division
of Criminal Justice
- Vaughn L. McKoy, Director
Office of the Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor
- Greta Gooden Brown, Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor
|
|
|
|
John
R. Hagerty
609-984-1936
|
|
|
|
Division
of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor Charge Essex County Chiropractor
and Office Manager with $12,000 Insurance
Fraud Scam
|
|
TRENTON
- Division of Criminal Justice Director
Vaughn L. McKoy announced that the Division
of Criminal Justice - Office
of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor has
charged an Essex County chiropractor and
office manager for allegedly paying “runners”
to illegally secure patients and to fraudulently
increase the amount of money obtained
from insurance companies. The “runners”
were under cover State Investigators assigned
to the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.
According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
Greta Gooden-Brown, Eugene Ruta, 43, a
licensed chiropractor formerly employed
at Valley Total Health Center, Orange,
Essex County, was charged via a State
Grand Jury indictment with conspiracy,
three counts of Health Care Claims Fraud
(2nd degree), and two counts of Criminal
Use of Runners (3rd degree). The indictment
also charged Andrew Farro, 43, former
office manager at Valley Total Health
Center, with conspiracy, six counts of
Health Care Claims Fraud (2nd degree),
and two counts of criminal use of runners
(3rd degree). If convicted of all charges,
Ruta and Farro both face more than 20
years in state prison and fines exceeding
$100,000. The defendants will be ordered
to appear in Essex County Superior Court
to answer the charges on a date to be
determined. The case will be referred
to the Professional Licensing Board which
has the responsibility for licensing chiropractic
physicians for appropriate action.
The indictment alleges that Farro agreed
to pay “runners” $500 for
every patient the “runner”
could bring to Valley Total Health Center.
It is charged that Farro paid more than
$2,000 to the “runners” -
in realty, undercover State Investigators.
As a result of the alleged “runner”
activity, Farro submitted more than $12,499
in fraudulent billings to Parkway Insurance
Company for medical services purportedly
provided to the “patients,”
including chiropractic services that were
not provided. Parkway paid $5,945 to Valley
Total Health Center for the insurance
claims.
Deputy Attorney General Andrew Fried coordinated
the investigation and prosecution. The
Newark Police Department and Parkway Insurance
Company assisted in the investigation.
The indictment was handed up on May 12
to Mercer County Superior Court Judge
Linda R. Feinberg.
An indictment is merely an accusation.
The defendants are presumed innocent until
or unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable
doubt.
#
# #
|
Subscribe
here to receive the Attorney General's
Weekly Update via e-mail |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|