It is about a 10-hour drive from the densely packed, bustling streets of New York City to the wide open, quiet cornfields and farms of Indiana. The pace of life and the cultures of the two places are worlds apart, but we are also linked by factors common to us both.
For instance, it makes little difference whether a person is charged with a federal crime in New York or Indiana. Federal allegations of health care fraud are for all intents and purposes the same here and there. In both places, convictions on the charges can mean years behind bars in a federal prison.
Such is the case with four Indiana men accused of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and health care fraud, as well as conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and money laundering. The four men have each reached plea agreements with federal prosecutors, a news report stated.
Among the four is the former CEO of American Senior Communities (an Indiana-based chain of long-term care and related health facilities) and the company’s former Chief Operating Officer.
According to prosecutors, the four men conspired to commit fraud from early 2009 through September of 2015. Their activities are said to have netted the group about $16 million.
Because of their plea deals, each defendant will have several charges against him dismissed. Regardless, the fraud count each faces carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Among the organizations affected by the fraud were Medicare and Medicaid, officials said.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
If you find yourself in similar circumstances, contact an attorney experienced in Anti-Kickback and health care fraud representation.
