Two of six South Florida personal injury attorneys facingcharges in a wide-ranging insurance fraud investigation havereached plea agreements and are cooperating with investigators.

Steven Slootsky of Steven E. Slootsky P.A. in Boca Raton was thefirst lawyer to commit to a plea, agreeing to plead guilty to 15felonies, spend up to five years in prison and to pay more than$170,200 in restitution, according to the agreement filed inBroward Circuit Court.

Vincent Pravato of Wolf and Pravato in Fort Lauderdale reached adeal Nov. 3. He faced three felonies: communications fraud,unlawful use of a two-way communication device and patientbrokering.

Arrested in September

The lawyers are among the six South Florida personal injuryattorneys arrested in September for alleged participation in aninsurance fraud scheme with lucrative kickbacks. Also arrested wereMark Spatz of Davie, Adam Hurtig of Fort Lauderdale; AlexanderKapetan Jr. of Lighthouse Point; and Jason Dalley of LakeWorth.

After a widening multi-agency investigation, most of theattorneys faced multiple felony counts charging they paid forreferrals from tow truck drivers, auto repair employees and otherswith access to vehicle accident reports. Prosecutors allege thelawyers used the referrals with medical practices to makefraudulent motor vehicle tort and personal injury protection, orPIP, claims.

Slootsky agreed to plead guilty to all counts against him andenter an irrevocable plea, according to the document filed Oct. 23by Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Jessica Nordlund and WhitneyMackay, with an acknowledgment by Fort Lauderdale defense attorneyHoward Greitzer.

Slootsky faces 15 felonies: organized crime to defraud, unlawfuluse of a two-way communication device, three counts of solicitationand 10 counts of patient brokering. He entered a contract for aplea agreement with prosecutors, subject to the approval of JudgeMichael Usan.

Prosecutors Recommended Prison

Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of up to five years,at least 10 years of probation and no less than 500 hours ofcommunity service. A tentative sentencing date was set for April19, which would give him months to cooperate before facing thejudge.

Slootsky, who has been a lawyer since 1985, would be banned frompracticing law in any jurisdiction under the plea deal.

Restitution Payments

The deal would also require restitution payments to 11 insurancecompanies of the following amounts:

• $34,039 to Geico

• $22,276 to State Farm

• $18,433 to Progressive

• $16,077 to Ocean Harbor

• $15,407 to 21st Century/Security National/Foremost

• $15,067 to Liberty Mutual

• $14,885 to MAPFRE

• $13,843 to Esurance

• $8,469 to Windhaven

• $5,887 to Infinity

• $5,819 to USAA

Slootsky would also pay nearly $2,937 to the Office of StatewideProsecution for the cost of prosecution, $5,000 to coverinvestigative expenses of the Broward Sheriff's Office as well as$1,420 to the state Department of Financial Services' Division ofInvestigative and Forensic Services.

Court documents show Slootsky gave a sworn statement toinvestigators and prosecutors on Aug. 24 and agreed to assist themthrough testimony and other means of building a case againstothers.

Plea Agreement

“The defendant will provide sworn, complete and truthfultestimony to the state of Florida as directed by the Office ofStatewide Prosecution, State Attorney's Office, or law enforcement,identifying all persons known to him to be involved or have beeninvolved in criminal activity related to the defendant's charges orpersons involved,” according to the plea agreement. “The state ofFlorida is relying on the multiple, consistent prior oralstatements given by the defendant.”

Meanwhile, Usan signed the plea agreement for Pravato on Nov. 3,who agreed to a sentence of five years' probation, 250 hours ofcommunity service and $16,408 in restitution payments to insurersGeico, Mercury, Allstate and Progressive.

Other Cases Pending

The other cases are pending, but Kapetan, who faces noallegations of solicitation, is fighting the charges and haspleaded not guilty. His attorney, Eric Schwartzreich ofSchwartzreich & Associates in Fort Lauderdale, said prosecutorswon't succeed in proving Kapetan accepted payment in return forreferrals.