Skip to main navigationSkip to News Headlines
Global Navigation
Office of The Attorney General
The State of New Jersey Office of The Attorney General (Dept. of Law & Public Safety) The State of New Jersey NJ Home Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Home
OAG Contact
Back to News Releases
more news
OAG Home Attorney General's Biography
Attorney General's Biography
spacer spacer spacer
 
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
For Immediate Release:  
For Further Information:
spacer spacer spacer
October 11, 2006  
Peter Aseltine
609-292-4791

Office of The Attorney General
- Stuart Rabner, Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
- Gregory A. Paw, Director
Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
-
Greta Gooden Brown, Insurance Fraud Prosecutor

spacerspacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacerspacerspacerNew York Doctor and Wife Charged with Money Laundering and Health Care Claims Fraud
Couple Allegedly Stole Over $500,000 from 17 Insurance Companies
spacer

>> View Indictment (363k pdf) plugin

spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacerspacer spacer spacer

TRENTON - Attorney General Stuart Rabner and Division of Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that a New York physician and his wife have been charged with defrauding insurance companies of more than $500,000 and laundering the money.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Juan Carlos Fischberg, 58, of New York City, formerly a New Jersey licensed physician, and his wife, Gezel Villanueva, 39, were indicted today by a state grand jury on charges of first-degree money laundering and second-degree conspiracy. In addition, Fischberg was charged with second-degree health care claims fraud, two counts each of second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree falsifying medical records, and one count of fourth-degree false swearing.

Prior to voluntarily surrendering his New Jersey medical license in January 2004, Fischberg owned, operated and controlled a medical practice known as Hudson Rehabilitation and Medical Center in West New York. He was board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

The indictment alleges that between Jan. 1, 1998 and Aug. 22, 2003, Fischberg stole Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claims money from 17 auto insurance companies. It is alleged that he falsely stated that his patients were injured and suffered from medical conditions, primarily as the result of automobile accidents, and that it was necessary for him to perform electro-diagnostic testing to diagnose and treat them. It is alleged that the electro-diagnostic tests were not medically necessary and, in some cases, were not performed at all.

It is further alleged that during a February 2002 deposition in a civil insurance fraud case filed against him by several insurance companies, Fischberg falsely swore that he maintained certain medical records for each patient in connection with electromyography and nerve conduction velocity electro-diagnostic tests.

In addition, the indictment alleges that between March 5 and Dec. 31, 2003, Fischberg and Villanueva engaged in money laundering by transferring over $500,000 to South America and to the Capital Trust Company of Delaware in order to hide the fact that the money was obtained through insurance fraud.

“When doctors commit fraud it is particularly disturbing, because the integrity of the health care claims process depends on the trustworthiness of the licensed professionals involved,” said Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Brown. “The Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute this type of criminal activity.”

State Investigators Laura Parisi and Robyn Greene, Civil Investigator Chris Gasbarro, and Deputy Attorneys General Steven B. Farman and Cheryl Maccaroni were assigned to the investigation. They received extensive assistance from the OIFP Analytical Support Unit. Farman presented the case to the grand jury.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Linda R. Feinberg in Mercer County. The case is assigned to Superior Court in Monmouth County, where the defendants will be ordered to appear for arraignment. The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Crimes of the first degree carry a sentence of up to 20 years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $200,000, while crimes of the second degree carry a sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $150,000. The defendants also may face civil insurance fraud fines.

Prosecutor Brown noted that some important cases have started with anonymous tips. People who are concerned about insurance cheating and have information about a fraud can report it anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline 1-877-55-FRAUD or visiting the Web at www.NJInsuranceFraud.org. State regulations permit an award to be paid to an eligible person who provides information that leads to an arrest, prosecution and conviction for insurance fraud.

The Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor was established by the Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act of 1998. The office is the centralized state agency that investigates and prosecutes both civil and criminal insurance fraud, as well as Medicaid fraud.

>> View Indictment (363k pdf) plugin

# # #

spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
 
Contact OAG About OAG
OAG News OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Library Employment
OAG Grants Proposed Rules
OAG History OAG Services A-Z
OAG Agencies / Programs / Units
Other News Pages Division of NJ State Police NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News
NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News

free PDF plugin

NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News
   
Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Legal Statement | Accessibility Statement
NJ Home Logo
Departmental: OAG Home | Contact OAG | About OAG | OAG News | OAG FAQs
Statewide: NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs
Copyright © State of New Jersey
This page is maintained by OAG Communications. Comments/Questions: email or call 609-292-4925
OAG Home OAG Home NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News