A Laguna Niguel man permanently barred from California's workers' compensation system due to past felony fraud convictions is now facing charges in a sprawling alleged fraud scheme. Alongside three accomplices, including a San Diego neurosurgeon, David Fish is said to have billed close to $100 million in fraudulent charges to the workers' compensation system, as reported by the Orange County District Attorney's Office. The details surface following a three-year Orange County investigation into Fish's activities, which seemingly continued to impact clinics and medical providers associated with worker injury claims.
The trio formed by Fish, 55, Martin Brill, 78, and Robert Lee, 61, stands accused of creating Southern California Injured Workers (SCIW), a firm offering medical management services. Although presented as a consultant, Fish reportedly wielded full command over the operation. The group, along with San Diego neurosurgeon Dr. Vrijesh Tantuwaya, also established Injured Workers Medical Group (IWMG), the principal client of SCIW, with Dr. Tantuwaya taking the helm as the owner and CEO.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer remarked on the case, "The Orange County District Attorney's Office remains fiercely committed to prosecuting bad actors who exploit the workers' compensation system to line their own pockets rather than helping injured workers," as stated in an official press release.
The counts against the accused include a mix of felonies, ranging from referral of clients for compensation to conspiracy and numerous insurance fraud charges. The penalties are notably steep: Fish faces up to 18 years and four months in prison, Brill could see 12 years and four months, Tantuwaya is looking at a potential 13 years and four months, and Lee also faces a sentence of 12 years and four months, as detailed by the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
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