Amrish Patel and his companies, Medlink Services and Medlink Partners, faced 27 felony charges for alleged thefts occurring from January 2012 to January 2019, as revealed by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The charges against Patel and his firms included one count each of insurance fraud in the first degree, grand larceny in the first, second, and third degrees, scheme to defraud in the first degree, 11 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, and 11 counts of workers' compensation fraud.
Following the allegations, Patel was released with electronic monitoring and a USD 100,000 bond, as reported by the New York Attorney General's Office.
Patel, associated with a Brooklyn-based orthopaedic surgery practice, purportedly submitted falsified claim forms to the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF), aiming to unlawfully acquire over USD 1.1 million in workers' compensation reimbursements for himself.
Attorney General James stressed the importance of accurate and ethical billing in sustaining vital healthcare services, condemning any illegal diversion of funds that impacts healthcare providers and the community at large.
Gaurav Vasisht, the Executive Director and CEO of the New York State Insurance Fund, highlighted the severe repercussions of workers' compensation fraud, emphasising its detrimental impact on trust and the entire system, including medical providers, carriers, businesses, and injured workers.