Indian marketing firm owner admits committing $11.5mn healthcare fraud in US
New York, Nov 3: The owner of a marketing company located in India admitted his role in conspiracies to commit $11.5 million healthcare fraud and to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, Attorney for the US Vikas Khanna announced.
Indian national Chintan Anjaria pleaded guilty on Monday before US District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in the Newark federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to court documents, from February 2017 to May 2022, Anjaria participated in a kickback and bribery scheme with orthotic brace supply companies, telemedicine companies, and testing laboratories, resulting in the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.
Anjaria controlled a marketing company in India through which he and his conspirators identified Medicare beneficiaries to target for orthotic braces and cancer genetic tests (CGX).
Employees of the company called beneficiaries and pressured them to agree to accept orthotic braces and/or CGX, regardless of medical necessity.
Anjaria and his company paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies to obtain doctor’s orders for the orthotic braces and CGX tests.
Anjaria then steered the doctor’s orders to orthotic brace suppliers and testing laboratories located in the US, with which Anjaria and his company had additional kickback arrangements.
The orthotic brace suppliers and laboratories submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicare, and thereafter sent a portion of the proceeds to Anjaria and his company as payment for the doctor’s orders generated through the conspiracy.
In total, Anjaria and his conspirators caused a loss to Medicare of more than $11.5 million.
The conspiracy to commit health care fraud count is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and the conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.
Both counts are also punishable by a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Anjaria's sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2024.