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Home > Insurance Division > Enforcement Activity |
2022 Division of Insurance Enforcement Activity |
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Please Note: P.L. 2013, c. 259 became effective on July 1, 2014. This law amended the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 52:14B-1 et seq. One of the amendments requires all state agencies to post on their websites all non-confidential final agency orders, decisions and opinions. Accordingly, all such final agency orders or decisions in disciplinary actions issued subsequent to July 1, 2014 may be accessed by clicking on the link within the summaries below. Orders or decisions issued on such matters prior to July 1, 2014 are available upon request to the Division of Insurance. |
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December |
Final Order
Ryan Fabian, Pennsauken, NJ
Order #E22-90, December 8, 2022
Respondent failed to remit and misappropriated premium, failed to issue premium receipts and failed to comply with a Department Consent Order.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $20,000, Costs - $2,062.50
Order to Show Cause
Silverline Adjustment, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Order #E22-91, December 29, 2022
Respondents are charged with issuing public adjuster contracts that did not contain required terms, did not submit current addresses to the Department and did not cooperate with the Department’s investigation. |
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November |
Order to Show Cause
Revenue Cycle Billing Services, Inc., Cedar Park, TX
Order #E22-89, November 30, 2022
Respondent is charged with operating as a third party billing service prior to being certified by the Commissioner as a third party billing service.
Consent Orders
Cantone Research, Inc., Eatontown, NJ
Order #E22-86, November 14, 2022
Respondent failed to report actions against it by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities and FINRA.
Sanction: Fine - $12,000
Deborah L. Stanfa, Cherry Hill, NJ
Order #E22-87, November 17, 2022
Respondent failed to report a consent order entered into with the New Jersey Bureau of Securities.
Sanction: Fine - $3,000, Costs - $500 |
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October |
Final Order
Diane Miller t/a Diane Miller Billing Services, Rahway, NJ
Order #E22-80, October 4, 2022
Respondent failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging her with acting as a third billing service without being certified as a third party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $411,000
Consent Orders
Adroit Health Group, LLC, McKinney, TX
Order #E22-83, October 12, 2022
Respondent sold noncompliant individual health benefits plans and charged improper fees.
Sanction: Fine - $677,500
Americas Public Adjuster LLC, Hulmeville, PA
Natalie McCann, Levittown, PA
Order #E22-85, October 13, 2022
Respondent entered into public adjuster contracts that failed to include required terms and conditions.
Sanction: Fine - $3,225
Focused Billing and Collections, LLC, Freehold, NJ
Order #E22-84, October 12, 2022
Respondent operated as a third party billing service prior to being certified as a third party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $79,650
Andrew Ng, Hillsborough, NJ
Order #E22-82, October 12, 2022
Respondent accepted a private passenger automobile insurance application and the applicant’s credit card information, issued a temporary evidence of insurance coverage and certificate of automobile insurance but failed to submit the application and credit card information to the insurer.
Sanction: Fine - $3,500 |
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September |
Final Orders
Jonathan Galea, Mount Laurel, NJ
Touch the Town Bail Bonds, LLC, Mt. Laurel, NJ
Mr. GZ Bail Bonds, Mount Laurel, NJ
Order #E22-71, September 6, 2022
Respondents failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging them with making an untimely refund of bail bond collateral, failing to issue appropriate receipts and failing to respond to a Department inquiry.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $25,000 and Costs - $462.50
Earnest Kitchens, Edison, NJ
Kitchens Affordable Bail Bonds, LLC, Edison, NJ
Order #E22-72, September 6, 2022
Respondents failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging them with failing to refund bail bond premium and failing to notify the Department of a change in business and residence address.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $15,000, Costs - $1,300 and Restitution - $1,000
Stephen A. Russo, Camden, NJ
Order #E22-70, September 1, 2022
Respondent was convicted of theft by deception in the third degree and failed to notify the Commissioner of his arrest and of his conviction.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $1,000 and Costs - $700
Henry R. Slay, Warminster, PA
Order #E22-78, September 27, 2022
Respondent submitted three bogus applications for insurance by falsely advising persons he was conducting a survey for which he would pay them for participation and using the information so obtained to submit fraudulent insurance applications.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $50,000 ($25,000 for Producer Act violations and $25,000 for Fraud Act violations), Costs -$1,012.25, Attorneys’ Fees - $10,000, Fraud Act Surcharge - $1,000 and Restitution - $247.24
Order to Show Cause
James Lee Kelley, Cherry Hill, NJ
Jeffrey Arthur Kelley, Trenton, NJ
Adelphia Insurance Agency, Trenton, NJ
Order #E22-79, September 29, 2022
Respondents are charged with failing to remit premium within five days, failing to deposit premium into a trust account, charging improper and/or excessive fees, and charging a fee not reasonably related to the service provided.
Consent Orders
Edgardo K. Asuncion, Parlin, NJ
Order #E22-74, September 19, 2022
Respondent forged the signatures of six insureds on 11 documents without the insured’s knowledge, consent and authorization.
Sanction: Fine - $33,000
Encoda, LLC, Tampa, FL
Order #E22-73, September 7, 2022
Respondent operated as a third party billing service prior to being certified as a third party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $32,100
Liberty Insurance Underwriters, Inc., Boston, MA
Order #E22-75, September 23, 2022
Respondent issued noncompliant individual health benefits plans from 2020 to 2022.
Sanction: Fine - $1,778,000
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, NY
Order #E22-76, September 23, 2022
Respondent issued network-based vision plans from April 1, 2013 to August 24, 2022 prior to having selective contracting arrangements approved by the Department.
Sanction: Fine - $142,800
Prime Managed Billing, LLC, National Harbor, MD
Order #E22-77, September 23, 2022
Respondent operated as a third party billing service prior to being certified as a third party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $22,400 |
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August |
Final Order
Fernando Acosta, Nutley, NJ
Order #E22-66, August 9, 2022
Respondent failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging him with misappropriation of premium and failing to respond to a Department inquiry.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $25,000, Costs - $702.50 and Restitution - $17,943.22
Order to Show Cause
Gwynne M. Kesselman, Edison, NJ
Scott M. Marinelli, Annandale, NJ
Title Matters, LLC, Edison, NJ and Annandale, NJ
Order #E22-67, August 24, 2022
Respondents are charged with misappropriation of real estate settlement funds, failure to use a trust or escrow account, failure to respond to Department inquiries and a Department subpoena. Mr. Marinelli is also charged with failure to notify the Department of administrative actions taken against him by other states and provision of inaccurate information on his license renewal application.
Consent Orders
Indian Harbor Insurance Company, Stamford, CT
Order #E22-65, August 8, 2022
Respondent conducted business with and paid a commission to a producer who was not licensed in New Jersey.
Sanction: Fine - $2,500
Oakwood D&O Insurance Brokers LLC, Los Angeles, CA
Order #E22-69, August 24, 2022
Respondent accepted a placement of a policy for a New Jersey risk from a producer who was not licensed in New Jersey.
Sanction: Fine - $7,500
Eliezer Solomon, Los Angeles, CA
Order #E22-68, August 24, 2022
Respondent negotiated and placed a policy for a New Jersey risk for which he received a commission when he was not licensed in New Jersey.
Sanction: Fine - $7,500 |
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July |
Final Order
Andro Samuel, Little Falls, NJ
Order #E22-62, July 20, 2022
Respondent failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging him with failing to issue proper premium receipts and failing to maintain insurance account records.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $5,000 and Costs - $1,662.50
Order to Show Cause
Diane Miller, Rahway, NJ
Order #E22-64, July 28, 2022
Respondent is charged with acting as a third party billing service without being certified as a third party billing service.
Consent Orders
Farhad Hasheminejad, Northfield, NJ
Atlantic Pro Medical Billing Services, Somers Point, NJ
Order #E22-60, July 19, 2022
Respondent operated as a third party billing service when it was not certified as a third party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $35,000
Blaine R. Jelus, Broomall, PA
Kitchen Productions Inc., d/b/a Home and Business Adjustment Company, Media, PA
Order #E22-59, July 18, 2022
Respondent entered into 17 public adjuster contracts that did not contain required terms and conditions and failed to maintain an interest bearing account or trust account in which to deposit insurance settlement funds.
Sanction: Fine - $12,750
John Kessler, North Brunswick, NJ
Order #E22-61, July 19, 2022
Respondent submitted 23 insurance applications on which he intentionally included false or misleading information and forged the applicants’ signatures on said applications.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $5,000 ($2,500 for Producer Act violations and $2,500 for Fraud Act violations), Costs - $950, Attorneys’ Fees - $750, Fraud Act surcharge - $250 and Restitution - $254.50 |
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June |
Final Orders
John Destefano, River Vale, NJ
Order #E22-56, June 24, 2022
Respondent knowingly completed and submitted a forged Dwelling Fire insurance application to the Department to make it appear as the original homeowners insurance application submitted to the insurer.
Sanction: License suspension for six months, Fine - $2,000, Costs - $912.50
Michael Patrick Diviney, Deptford, NJ
Property Damage Adjusters, Inc., Deptford, NJ
Order #E22-48, June 8, 2022
Respondents entered into at least 80 public adjuster contracts that did not specifically or clearly define the services to be rendered, did not indicate the time the contracts were executed, and did not prominently include a section that specified the procedures to be followed by insureds to cancel the contract, including any requirement for a written notice, the rights and obligations of the parties if the contract is cancelled at any time, and the costs to the insured for services rendered in whole or in part.
Sanction: Fine - $80,000, Costs - $1,237.50
Dekpah Gueh, Trenton, NJ
Order #E22-54, June 21, 2022
Respondent submitted three life insurance applications that falsely represented that the applicants were residents of New Jersey, had valid Social Security numbers, and appeared before him and signed the application, forged the signatures of the applicants on the applications and failed to report his indictment for second degree insurance fraud and theft by deception in the third degree to the Commissioner.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $65,000 ($35,000 for Producer Act violations and $30,000 for Fraud Act violations), Costs - $415, Attorneys’ Fees - $14,500 and Fraud Act surcharge - $1,000
Dominick J. Perrone, Toms River, NJ
Order #E22-55, June 22, 2022
Respondent knowingly and intentionally submitted six insurance applications with materially false statements, submitted insurance applications when he was unlicensed and failed to advise the Commissioner of a change in his residence address.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine $150,000 ($75,000 for Producer Act violations and $75,000 for Fraud Act violations), Costs - $1,000, Attorneys’ Fees - $12,150 and Fraud Act surcharge - $1,000
Joseph Vulpis, Millstone Township, NJ
Diversified Public Adjusters LLC, Monroe Township, NJ
Order #E22-50, June 20, 2022
Respondents entered into seven public adjuster contracts that did not include: (1) the procedures to be followed by the insured if he or she seeks to cancel the contract, including the requirement for written notice, (2) the rights and obligations of the parties if the contract is cancelled at any time, and (3) the costs to the insured or the formula for the calculation of costs to the insured for services rendered in whole or in part.
Sanction: Fine - $7,000, Costs - $1,025
Orders to Show Cause
Gregory Adamo, Morristown, NJ
Order #E22-53, June 20, 2022
Respondent is charged with failing to notify the Department of federal information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, of his conviction of these charges, of a FINRA suspension and permanent bar, of a summary bar order of the New Jersey Bureau of Securities and with inaccurately answering “No” to the questions in the license renewal application regarding whether he was currently charged with commission of a misdemeanor or felony which was not previously reported to the Department.
Jonas Knopf, Lakewood, NJ
Order #E22-51, June 20, 2022
Respondent is charged with submission of hundreds of false health insurance applications, with failing to notify the Department of the federal criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud health care plans against him and of his conviction of making false statements to defraud a health care benefit program, and with conducting business through an unlicensed entity.
Argentina Ramirez, Edison, NJ
Order #E22-49, June 9, 2022
Respondent is charged with submitting 29 bogus applications for renter’s insurance.
Orders to Show Cause Seeking Immediate License Suspension Pending Completion of Administrative Proceedings
Jonas Knopf, Lakewood, NJ
Order #E22-52, June 20, 2022
Respondent is charged with conviction of a felony involving dishonesty and breach of trust and failing to obtain a waiver from the Commissioner to engage in the business of insurance as required by 18 U.S.C. 1033.
Consent Orders
Thomas E. Bernard, Fort Lee, NJ
Anderson Bernard Agency, Inc., Fort Lee, NJ
Order #E22-47, June 2, 2022
Respondent delayed issuance of a premium refund check to an insured for more than five days and provided a check to an insured for a premium refund which was returned unpaid due to insufficient funds.
Sanction: Fine - $10,000
Claimpower, Inc., Glen Rock, NJ
Order #E22-57, June 29, 2022
Respondent conducted business as a third party billing service from January 1, 2002 to October 15, 2021 when it was not certified as a third party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $722,700 |
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May |
Final Order
Lee Stokes, Galloway, NJ
Order #E22-42, May 16, 2022
The Order to Show Cause charging respondent with offering an inducement to purchase insurance, Order E18-26, is dismissed.
Orders to Show Cause
Andro Samuel, Little Falls, NJ
Order #E22-45, May 17, 2022
Respondent is charged with failing to issue proper receipts for premiums received and failing to maintain insurance account records.
Anthony M. Zappaunbulso, Wildwood Crest, NJ
Order #E22-37, May 2, 2022
Respondent is charged with failing to remit premium, misappropriating premium, failing to maintain a trust account and issuing a check for a premium refund that was not honored.
Consent
Orders
Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company, Atlanta, GA
Order #E22-44, May 17, 2022
Respondent issued New Jersey approved Medicare Supplement policies to 886 persons who were not New Jersey residents on the date of issue and issued Medicare Supplement policies that were approved by states other than New Jersey to 63 persons who were New Jersey residents on the date of issue.
Sanction: Fine - $711,740
Abraham M. Klein, Lakewood, NJ
Sol Klein P.A., Inc., Brooklyn, NY
Order #E22-36, May 2, 2022
Respondents issued 307 public adjuster contracts on behalf of Sol Klein P.A., Inc. when it was not licensed as a public adjuster and issued public adjuster contracts that failed to contain required terms and conditions..
Sanction: Fine - $76,750
National Billing Institute, LLC, Boca Raton, FL
Order #E22-43, May 17, 2022
Respondent acted as a third party billing service in New Jersey when it was not certified as a third party billing service,
Sanction: Fine - $35,150
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April |
Orders to Show Cause
Francesco Maneri, Fairlawn, NJ
Order #E22-32, April 11, 2022
Respondent is charged with failing to remit premium to a carrier.
Robert W. Mania, Basking Ridge, NJ
Heidi Ann Mania, Basking Ridge, NJ
RHM Benefits, Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ
Order #E22-30, April 7, 2022
Respondent Robert Mania is charged with failing to notify the Commissioner of a criminal prosecution and with conviction of felony mail fraud for his role in a scheme to defraud a client by overstating commissions. All respondents are charged with inaccurately responding to a question on a license renewal application and with responsibility for Robert’s insurance related misconduct.
Octavio Montoya, Hawthorne, NJ
Order #E22-31, April 7, 2022
Respondent is charged with failing to list his son as a resident driver on his application for automobile insurance.
Larry R. Weinbaum, Manalapan, NJ
Order #E22-35, April 13, 2022
Respondent is charged with falsifying information on annuity applications and failing to report an action taken against him by FINRA.
Consent Orders
Antonio Gerardo Feijoo, Miami Springs, FL
Order #E22-28, April 1, 2022
Respondent wrote three policies for New Jersey residents when not licensed.
Sanction: Fine - $5,000
Lance R. Armstrong, Lafayette, NJ
Order #E22-33, April 1, 2022
Respondent failed to report actions taken against him by FINRA and the New Jersey Bureau of Securities.
Sanction: Fine - $5,000 |
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March |
Final Orders
Calvin Butterworth, Boca Raton, FL
Contractors First Insurance, Inc., Pensacola, FL
Order #E22-19, March 23, 2022
Respondents failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging them with failing to obtain a separate written fee agreement prior to charging a fee to six insureds.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $55,000 and Costs - $500
Heinz Cherilus, Phillipsburg, NJ
Order #E22-25, March 30, 2022
Respondent failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging him with submitting false information relating to an automobile insurance claim.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $10,000 ($5,000 for Producer Act violations and $5,000 for Fraud Act violations), Attorneys’ Fees - $4,500, Costs - $187.50 and Fraud Act surcharge - $1,000
Erica Dixon, Plainfield, NJ
Order #E22-16, March 22, 2022
Respondent failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging her with submitting four applications for renter’s insurance without the knowledge or consent of the applicants, with submitting four fraudulent applications for renter’s insurance and with failing to respond to Department inquiries.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $90,000 ($45,000 for Producer Act violations and $45,000 for Fraud Act violations), Attorneys’ Fees - $4,443, Costs - $300 and Fraud Act surcharge - $1,000
Paul B. Kumar, North Brunswick, NJ
Order #E22-23, March 30, 2022
Respondent submitted six insurance applications containing false and misleading information, without the knowledge or consent of the applicants and without witnessing the signatures of the applicants.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $15,000 ($7,500 for Producer Act violations and $7,500 for Fraud Act violations), Attorneys’ Fees - $35,000, Costs - $9,774.25 and Fraud Act surcharge - $1,000
Michael Ray Matos, Lake Hopatcong, NJ
Order #E22-26, March 31, 2022
Respondent failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging him with failing to report actions taken against him by FINRA and the New Jersey Bureau of Securities and failing to respond to a Department inquiry.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $25,000 and Costs - $487.50
John R. Najarian, Northvale, NJ
Order #E22-18, March 23, 2022
Respondent failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging him with engaging in fraudulent acts in the conduct of his securities business, with inaccurately responding to the question on his license renewal application concerning involvement in administrative proceedings and with failing to report action taken against him by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $25,000 and Costs - $512.50
Gerard Raimondi, Toms River, NJ
Order #E22-14, March 21, 2022
Respondent failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging him with submitting 237 applications for health insurance with fictitious insured information and/or forged signatures of insureds’ names.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $2,370,000 ($1,185,000 for Producer Act violations and $1,185,000 for Fraud Act violations), Attorneys’ Fees - $4,496.50 and Costs - $722.50
Farrukh Siddiqui, Tampa, FL
Zayan Takaful, LLC, Tampa, FL
Order #E22-13, March 21, 2022
Respondents failed to respond to an Order to Show Cause charging them with placing 30 surplus lines policies when not licensed.
Sanction: Revocation, Fine - $295,000 and Costs - $400
Orders to Show Cause
Atlantic Pro Medical Billing Services, Somers Point, NJ
Farhad Hasheminejab, Northfield, NJ
Order #E22-15, March 21, 2022
Respondents are charged with acting as a third party billing service without the required certification of the Commissioner.
Abdulrasheed Berte, Bronx, NY
Order #E21-12, March 21, 2022
Respondent is charged with submitting applications for life insurance containing fraudulent or false information and forged signatures, with failing to report the revocation of his insurance license by another state, with failing to cooperate with the Department’s investigation and with failing to comply with a Department subpoena.
Michael Anthony Fortunato, Succasunna, NJ
Order #E22-11, March 21, 2022
Respondent is charged with failing to remit and misappropriation of an insurance premium and with failing to respond to a Department inquiry.
John Marcondes, Point Pleasant Boro, NJ
Order #E22-17, March 23, 2022
Respondent is charged with filing a false complaint against a competitor public adjuster with the forged signature of an employee of the competitor.
Consent Order
George Garvas, Moorestown, NJ
Order #E22-10, March 16, 2022
Respondent failed to report that he pled guilty to conspiracy to execute a scheme to defraud a health care benefit program in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1347.
Sanction: Fine - $5,000 |
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February |
Final Order
Genevieve Steward, Glassboro, NJ
James Mascola, Bridgeton, NJ
Bail Group Management, LLC, Millville, NJ
East Coast Bail Bonds, LLC, Millville, NJ
Order #E22-06, February 24, 2022
Respondents failed to remit bail bond premium to a surety company, failed to timely return collateral funds for three bail bonds, misappropriated collateral funds for a bail bond and failed to timely respond to Department inquiries. Bail Group Management, LLC engaged in insurance business without being licensed as a producer. East Coast Bail Bonds, LLC failed to register a branch office.
Sanctions: Revocation, Fine - $60,000 ($60,000 joint and several as to Genevieve Steward and James Mascola, $55,000 joint and several as to Bail Group Management, LLC and East Coast Bail Bonds, LLC), Restitution - $30,000 plus prejudgment interest and Costs - $5,300.
Consent Orders
Frank J. Boyle, Whiting, NJ
F. Boyle Adjustment Service, LLC, Whiting, NJ
Order #E22-09, February 28, 2022
Respondents used a public adjuster contract that did not contain required terms and conditions, did not submit current business or home addresses to the Department, did not timely notify the Department of the closing of an office, and did not timely notify the Department of a change in business name.
Sanction: Fine - $2,500 and Costs - $1,537.50
Coronis Health RCM, LLC, Sykesville, MD
Order #E22-08, February 24, 2022
Respondent conducted business as a third-party billing service prior to being certified by the Commissioner as a third-party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $120,000
CRT Medical Systems, Inc., Novi, Michigan
Order #E22-07, February 24, 2022
Respondent conducted business as a third-party billing service when it was not certified by the Commissioner as a third-party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $143,800 |
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January |
Order to Show Cause
Anka Bojic, Wayne, NJ
Order #E22-04, January 24, 2022
Respondent is charged with providing false information to an insurance company in relation to three homeowners insurance claims and with refusing to cooperate in an interview with Department investigators.
Consent Orders
Gunjan Aggarwal, San Ramon, CA
Order #E22-01, January 6, 2022
Respondent sold two surplus lines policies to a New Jersey business when he was not licensed as a producer in New Jersey.
Sanction: Fine - $2,500
Edward Gallagher Jr., Millville, NJ
Edward Gallagher Jr. Public Adjuster LLC, Millville, NJ
Order #E22-03, January 18, 2022
Respondents entered into 159 public adjuster contracts on behalf of Edward Gallagher Jr. Public Adjuster LLC when its public adjuster license was expired.
Sanction: Fine - $23,500
Theralytics, LP, Miami, FL
Order #E22-02, January 6, 2022
Respondent acted as a third-party billing service prior to being certified by the Commissioner as a third-party billing service.
Sanction: Fine - $6,450 |
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