Kirtish, Nita Patel forged physicians’ signatures, created false medical reports.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: An Indian American couple in New Jersey have been arrested by federal authorities for allegedly conspiring to commit massive healthcare fraud.
Kirtish and Nita Patel, both 51, were arrested by the FBI in Rockaway, New Jersey on Monday. The two are accused of using their medical clinics – Biomedical Sound Services, and Heart Solutions of Parsippany – to craft false medical reports and forging the signatures of several physicians. The scame allegedly lasted from June of 2012 to this month, meaning it lasted a full two years.
These reports claimed that the Patels’ clinics had conducted various medical procedures, such as ultrasounds, and were used to bill several healthcare insurance companies for reimbursements, including Medicare. Husband Kirtish would often read and interpret the results of these tests himself, instead of sending them to a proper physician, while wife Nita would forge the signatures, often through photocopying.
NJ.com reports that the criminal complaint says Nita admitted to forging some of the documents, but not all; however, the couple will have the chance to formally enter their plea when they are arraigned. Nita reportedly told the arresting officers that about half of the reports in question were forged, but did not say anything regarding the other half; this will almost certainly come up again in court.
The couple is now facing a single charge of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, which carries with it a maximum of 10 years behind bars, as well as an additional fine of $250,000. Both Kirtish and Nita are currently free on $100,000 bond, but have been restricted from traveling and are expected to return to court when asked, without any fuss.