In a turn of events for a Delray Beach chiropractor snared in a brazen $20 million healthcare fraud, Dr. Richard Davidson is slated to wave the prison bars goodbye come September, after serving just half of his six-year sentence. Davidson, who pleaded guilty to orchestrating a fraud that bilked Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), is getting early release due to cooperation with the authorities, according to BocaNewsNow.com. His original 74-month sentence was significantly reduced following a judge's decision last year, with an additional cut revealing his impending September freedom.
Engaged in defrauding the system through a network of durable medical equipment supply companies, 42-year-old Davidson submitted over $20 million in bogus claims in just one year. In the scheme, straw owners were used to throw law enforcement off the scent, while Davidson and cohorts dished out bribes and kickbacks to snag thousands of illegitimate claims. Having entered a guilty plea, Davidson didn't sidestep losing his home in Seven Bridges, his bank and retirement accounts, and, sadly intended for his children, the college savings – all seized and auctioned by the Department of Justice, as reported by justice.gov.
Upon release, Davidson isn't exactly sprinting to freedom; he's clocking in three years on probation and staring down the barrel of a $10M restitution bill to the federal government. While behind bars, Davidson became part of the Seven Bridges' notoriety, as "Cellblock 7B" grew to contain several of its disgraced residents, including Aaron Singerman, who was let off the hook last year, and others like Tracy Jedlicki and Jeremie Saintvil, pacing their cells with release dates stamped in the future—a sordid legacy for a community that once simply housed families.
Davidson's devious dance with deceit has unfolded under the watchful eye of the FBI, HHS-OIG, VA-OIG, and the IRS Criminal Investigation's Tampa Field Office, the heavy-hitters who don't take kindly to those playing fast and loose with federal healthcare funds. "It's sickening to see a member of the medical community profiting from a scheme that's cheating the nation's federally funded healthcare program," Michael McPherson, Tampa's FBI Special Agent in Charge, said underscoring the gravity of Davidson's crimes.
Prosecutors Kristen A. Fiore and James A. Muench led the charge against Davidson, securing judgment encompassing a $650,000 forfeiture and a $2.47 million money judgment, part of Davidson's hefty tab of consequences. As a final note to a career upended by greed, Davidson's legacy in the healthcare community will remain tarnished, a warning to those tempted by the lures of illicit gain over the sanctity of their oath.
