TRENTON
Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced
that a North Jersey chiropractor has been
indicted for allegedly billing an insurance
company for chiropractic treatments that
were never rendered.
According
to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Riza
Dagli, Michael P. Gold, 59, of Chester,
a licensed chiropractor, was charged yesterday
(April 27) with 16 counts of second-degree
health care claims fraud and four counts
of fourth-degree falsifying records.
The state grand jury indictment alleges
that on 16 occasions between Aug. 13 and
Dec. 2, 2008, Gold fraudulently submitted
claim forms to the Allstate Insurance Company
for chiropractic treatments purportedly
performed on a patient, when, in fact, he
had not provided the services. The “patient”
was actually an undercover investigator
with the Division of Criminal Justice. The
indictment further alleges that on four
occasions, Gold falsified medical records
of office visits when he knew that the office
visits did not occur.
Detective
Ned Shaw, Civil Investigator Chris Gasbarro,
and Assistant Attorney General John Kennedy
were assigned to the investigation. Assistant
Attorney General Kennedy presented the case
to the state grand jury. Acting Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor Dagli thanked the Allstate
Insurance Company for their assistance with
this investigation.
The
indictment is merely an accusation. The
defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 10 years in state prison and
a criminal fine of $150,000, while fourth-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 18 months
in state prison and a criminal fine of $10,000.
Gold may also face the imposition of civil
insurance fraud fines. This matter will
be referred to the state Board of Chiropractic
Examiners for any licensing action they
deem appropriate.
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