A US court has sentenced the owner of LabSolutions genetic research centers to 27 years in prison. He was found guilty of defrauding public health insurance Medicare payments totaling $463 million.
US Department of Justice press release reports.
The court found that 44-year-old owner of LabSolutions genetic research centers Minal Patel of Atlanta, Georgia, colluded with a group of doctors and medical call centers who sent patients to undergo expensive genetic tests for cancer in his laboratories. Patients were assured that all costs would be covered by Medicare. In fact, these tests were not necessary for the patients.
In turn, Patel gave “kickbacks” to his accomplices for referring patients to his laboratory. At the same time, he formalized his relationship with them with contracts for advertising services.
According to the investigation, between 2016 and 2019, LabSolutions submitted claims to Medicare for a total of $463 million. Of these, the research center has already received more than 187 million US dollars. Patel personally embezzled more than $21 million.
