A Michigan chiropractor is awaiting sentencing after a jury recently reached a verdict in a Branch County Circuit Court. The man was found guilty of white collar crimes on eight counts of fraud related to claims from Blue Cross Blue Shield for treatments he claimed to have provided for his children. It is reported that each felony count may lead to four years of incarceration.
It was stated that the insurance company had been paying similar claims to the defendant for five years without questioning any. The insurance company claims to have received as many as 342 claims from the chiropractor for treatment of family members. They chose to prosecute only four because there was evidence to show that he could not have treated the children on those dates. The company claims to have paid him in excess of $8,000 for those treatments.
The four insurance claims that are involved in this case were for treatments that were claimed to have been provided during the hostile divorce proceedings between the defendant and his former wife. His ex-wife claims that the chiropractor had no visitation with his children during this time. A child care provider also testified that the children were in her care on some of those dates, and his ex-mother-in-law had the children on the other days. His former wife reportedly noticed the fraudulent entries on the claim history and advised authorities.
Michigan professionals who are being accused of white collar crimes will naturally be concerned about the impact such charges -- or potential convictions -- may have on their professional and personal lives. As soon as accusations are made, it may be wise to be proactive and retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney. A lawyer can examine the prosecution's evidence and launch a thorough independent investigation. Based on available information, a strong defense strategy can be built that may ultimately protect the integrity of the accused person.
Source: thedailyreporter.com, "Chiropractor found guilty insurance fraud", Don Reid, Sept. 3, 2015