Barrington Doctor Found Guilty of Medicare Fraud

 Posted on September 11, 2012 in White collar crime

An investigation across the USA has discovered more than 90 people who have defrauded the Medicare system. The total amount of falsified billings comes to be nearly $300 million dollars that could have been used for other people’s medical bills. “The defendants charged in this takedown are accused of . . . jeopardizing the integrity of our health care system and our nation’s most critical health care program for personal gain,” Attorney General Eric Holder said during a news conference.

Dr. John Natale, a 62-year-old vascular surgeon was charged with two counts of making false statements, two counts of health care fraud and one count of mail fraud. Natale is a surgeon who specialized in repairing abdominal aortic aneurysms, or the weakening of this artery. These charges stemmed from six different surgeries during 2003 and 2004 when he allegedly falsified post-operation reports for his personal gain. Dr. Natale prepared at least two reports which detailed fictitious surgeries or elaborated surgeries to be more complicated than they should be. These surgeries supposedly occurred while he was working at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

The jury of his peers did not find him guilty of all counts against him. Out of all the charges, they only found him guilty of two counts of making false statements which were not the most serious counts of fraud. The maximum sentence for those two counts would be five years in prison. Luckily for Natale, the judge presiding over the case, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer, only sentenced him to ten months in prison, a fine of $40,000 dollars and community service while being under supervision for a year.

White collar crimes usually include any type of fraud including mail fraud, credit card fraud, and in this case, health care fraud. They often carry heavy fines and prison sentences and are investigated for a long time to compile enough evidence. If you are being investigated for extortion, embezzlement, or other white collar crime, then it is important to have a lawyer who understands how to represent your rights. Please contact an experienced white collar crime defense attorney in Arlington Heights today.