October 26, 2015
Valentina Kovalienko, the owner of two Brooklyn medical clinics, pleaded guilty to, and agreed to forfeit almost $30 million for, her role in a $55 million health care fraud and money laundering conspiracy. According to her admissions, from approximately February 2008 to February 2011, Kovalienko and others executed a scheme in which patients were paid cash kickbacks to subject themselves to medically unnecessary physical and occupational therapy, diagnostic tests and office visits that were not performed by licensed professionals, and for which the clinics billed Medicare and Medicaid. Kovalienko also admitted that to support the fraudulent claims she paid occupational and physical therapists to falsify patient charts and billing records. DOJ
Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, Healthcare Fraud, Improper Medical Personnel, Lack of Medical Necessity, Medicaid, Medical Billing Fraud, Medicare, Provider Fraud,