New York Attorney General Letitia James, in partnership with New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, announced the conviction of Amrish Patel, a medical biller found guilty of funneling over $1.1 million from surgeons into his own pockets, money that was designated for treating injured workers under New York State Workers’ Compensation Law. Patel, a resident of Monroe Township, New Jersey, had provided billing services to an orthopedic surgery practice in Brooklyn and was sentenced to five years probation while also being ordered to pay $300,000 in restitution to the victim doctors, according to a press release by the Attorney General's office.
Having pled guilty to second-degree insurance fraud earlier this year, a downfall began for Patel when an orthopedic practice office manager noticed an odd fax, leading to a trail of falsified claim forms and redirected checks intended for doctors; he took insurance payments for surgeries and other medical services and directed them to his businesses, according to statements made by Attorney General James and Inspector General Lang. The investigation, which spanned from January 2012 to January 2019, uncovered that Patel had diverted a small percentage of the payments to mask his scheme, and this long con, funded luxurious lifestyles complete with expensive vehicles and vacations.
The collaborative efforts of the Attorney General’s office, the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF), and Inspector General's office, were instrumental in uncovering Patel's actions, which were seen as undermining the trust New Yorkers place in the workers' compensation system and exploiting both vulnerable workers and those in the medical field, stated Inspector General Lang. In her statement, Attorney General James underscored that Patel's deception not only impacted the financial stability of medical professionals but jeopardized a vital support system for injured New Yorkers.
The financial malfeasance unraveled through a joint investigation led by the OAG's Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau and the Office of the Inspector General's Workers’ Compensation Fraud unit. Patel, who at one time was trusted by the doctors to properly manage large sums for billing services, had submitted hundreds of falsified claim forms to NYSIF and had checks issued to his companies, which was part of an elaborate and nefarious plan and Patel previous paid part of the restitution through a private civil settlement, indicating some form of accountability before today's sentencing. Patel's sentencing today at last brings closure to a case of defrauding surgeons due for their services to injured workers—thus, drawing attention to the necessary vigilance against corruption in systems designed for social welfare.
