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National Healthcare Fraud Takedown Results In Charges Against Over 600 Individuals, Including Several Chicago-Area Medical Professionals
By Robert Lewis
Jun 28, 2018
CHICAGO — Several Chicago-area medical professionals, including four physicians, are facing federal criminal charges as part of the largest health care fraud enforcement action in Department of Justice history, federal authorities announced today.
The national enforcement action taken by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force involved over 600 defendants charged throughout the country, including more than 150 physicians, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving approximately $2 billion in false billings. Several of the doctors were charged for their alleged roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services has initiated suspension actions against numerous providers, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
The national enforcement action was announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions; HHS Secretary Alex M. Azar III; Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Deputy Director David L. Bowdich of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Assistant Administrator John Martin of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson of the HHS Office of Inspector General; Deputy Chief Eric Hylton of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division; Director Alec Alexander of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and Director Dermot F. O’Reilly of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Today’s enforcement actions were led and coordinated by the DOJ Criminal Division Fraud Section’s Health Care Fraud Unit, in conjunction with the Medicare Fraud Strike Force – a partnership between the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI and HHS-OIG. The operation includes the participation of the DEA, DCIS, and State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
“Health care fraud is a betrayal of vulnerable patients, and often it is theft from the taxpayer,” said Attorney General Sessions. “In many cases, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists take advantage of people suffering from drug addiction in order to line their pockets. These are despicable crimes. That’s why this Department of Justice has taken historic new steps to go after fraudsters, including hiring more prosecutors and leveraging the power of data analytics. Today the Department of Justice is announcing the largest health care fraud enforcement action in American history. This is the most fraud, the most defendants, and the most doctors ever charged in a single operation—and we have evidence that our ongoing work has stopped or prevented billions of dollars’ worth of fraud. I want to thank our fabulous partners with the FBI, DEA, our Health Care Fraud task forces, HHS, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, Medicare, and especially the more than 1,000 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers from across America who made this possible. By every measure we are more effective at finding and prosecuting medical fraud than ever.”
“Every dollar recovered in this year’s operation represents not just a taxpayer’s hard-earned money—it’s a dollar that can go toward providing healthcare for Americans in need,” said HHS Secretary Azar. “This year’s Takedown Day is a significant accomplishment for the American people, and every public servant involved should be proud of their work.”
“Medicare and Medicaid are significant health care programs that pay for vital medical services,” said John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our office will continue to investigate and prosecute any medical professional who knowingly violates the rules and abuses the trust placed in them by the government and their patients.”
“Our nation’s opioid epidemic has no boundaries, and today’s actions highlight just that,” said Brian M. McKnight, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA. “Opioid addiction and the criminal activity driving it extend far beyond the cartels and gang violence to the rogue medical professionals identified today.” …
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Another Illinois case involves a licensed psychiatrist, DR. KIRK HOPKINS, who allegedly earned more than $5.5 million by falsely billing Medicaid and Medicare for psychotherapy services that were never performed. Dr. Hopkins, 44, of Chicago, pleaded not guilty to five counts of wire fraud during his arraignment Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Joan H. Lefkow. A status hearing is set for July 25, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri H. Mecklenburg. Substantial investigative assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau – North.