Fraud of the Week

April 30, 2018

Auto Fraud — Florida

Amount: $23 Million

 

For seven years, a Florida man ran a criminal enterprise engaged in racketeering, conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and healthcare fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering. The fraud was complicated, and involved ripping off auto insurance companies by running up treatment costs and illegally billing for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance money under Florida's no-fault law. Participants of the scheme gave kickbacks to individuals who had legal access to confidential traffic accident reports in order to illegally steer drivers and passengers to corrupt chiropractic clinics. The corrupt chiropractors would sign the patients up for unnecessary and excessive treatments, and were referred to attorneys who would try to force auto insurance companies to settle the claims. Patients were required to attend multiple visits, in several cases fifteen or more. Patient's pain was exaggerated and insurers were billed for the maximum payout swiftly. The fraud was even continued after the FBI raided the fraudsters business in 2015, putting him on notice that he was under scrutiny.

 

The fraudster lived a lavish lifestyle during the seven-year fraud, living in a $7,500/month ocean-front apartment, sporting a $64,000 watch, and owning several Bentley cars. Several other corrupt individuals were involved, including chiropractors, attorneys, clinic owners, and tow-truck drivers. As the ringleader, this fraudster received a sentence of 6 ½ years in prison, the harshest sentence doled out in the case.