On November 8, 2021, Chilivis Grubman reported on the conviction of two clinic operators and brothers, Jonathan and Daniel Markovich. Jonathan Markovich owned and operated Second Chance Detox LLC, an inpatient detox and residential facility, and WAR Network LLC, a related outpatient treatment program. The two were convicted on November 4, 2021, for fraudulently billing services that were either never provided or deemed medically unnecessary.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) records stated that the brothers would engage in several illicit activities out of the clinics, including recruiting patients using kickbacks such as free airline tickets, cash payments, and drugs, billing for therapy sessions not administered, and excessively ordering medically unnecessary drug screens. The DOJ also stated the brothers would swap patients back and forth between the facilities in order to bill them as much as possible and were alleged to have given patients illicit drugs to ensure their need for the clinic’s expensive detox treatments.
Last week, on March 24, 2022, Dr. Jose Santeiro, the Medical Director of the same two facilities, was convicted after a 15-day trial of engaging in the same scheme that fraudulently billed approximately $112 million for substance abuse services.
Santeiro was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and eight counts of health care fraud. He faces up to 100 years in prison.
The attorneys at Chilivis Grubman represent clients of all types and sizes in connection with white-collar criminal investigations and health care fraud investigations. If you need assistance with such a matter, please contact us today.