A West Orange doctor pleaded guilty to violating the federal health care anti-kickback statute after receiving payments in exchange for sending his patients to a diagnostic testing facility called Orange Community MRI.
60-year-old John Green, a Basking Ridge resident and currently practicing gastroenterologist and internal medicine doctor, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Claire Cecchi in Newark on December 6. In court, Green admitted to earning approximately $14,000 in kickbacks from the illegal agreement.
Green is facing a term of incarceration of up to five years, as well as a fine and a requirement to return the illegally accrued funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced in March.
According to U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, Green represents yet another case in a long line of health care professionals who illegally contracted with Orange Community MRI. Following an investigation which culminated in December 2011 and resulted in charges brought against numerous defendants, Green represents the thirteenth doctor convicted for receiving kickbacks in exchange for monetary compensation from Orange Community MRI. The testing facility’s previous executive director, 38-year-old Chirag Patel, was also charged as a result of the investigation.
Overall, the investigation has led to 14 convictions, 11 of which involved health care providers. To compensate for the illegal kickbacks they received, the various defendants have returned a total of $353,910.
Orange Community MRI employees, including the medical director and executive director, are required to return their illegally made profits as well. Reportedly, Chirag Patel made $89,180 through these dealings and 63-year-old Ashokkumar Babaria, the company’s medical director, accumulated over $2 million. Proceedings related to the Orange Community MRI operation are ongoing.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: West Orange gastroenterologist pleads guilty in cash-for-tests kickback scheme.
