In Michigan, the law often requires that professionals be licensed to practice their profession. Along with a license to practice comes a code of conduct. Professionals must uphold a certain standard of ethics, morals, and integrity. Examples of professions that require a license include physicians, lawyers, nurses, accountants, architects, pharmacists and teachers. It is required under law that those holding these professional licenses act with honesty and integrity according to protocol and report information truthfully and accurately. Ask any defense criminal lawyer, failure to adhere to set regulations can result in major consequences for these professionals including loss of licenses, criminal charges, prison time, fines, and even the loss of employment.
In a recent case, a medical assistant was convicted and sentenced to spend 46 months in prison for health care fraud charges in Michigan, reportedly swindling $2.8 million from the Medicare program.
In order for home health services to receive compensation from Medicare, an agency must have a signed physician’s order. To try and beat the system, the owner of two home health companies in Michigan approached Mohammed El-Fallal in July 2008 for help. As a medical assistant for a doctor suffering from mental illness, El-Fallal was in close enough proximity to use the physician’s identity and forged a doctor’s order sent to Medicare. Although he was involved in the medical field in some capacity, because El-Fallal is not a licensed physician, these documents are considered illegal. From July 2008 to April 2009, El-Fallal allegedly was paid $100 for each forged document he signed for the health agencies, amounting to $2,802,461 in fraudulent health care claims in Michigan.
Defendant required to pay $2.8 million in restitution
El-Fallal pleaded guilty in June 2010 to white collar crimes including conspiracy to commit health care fraud in Michigan. As a part of his punishment, the defendant is required to pay $2.8 million in restitution and spend 46 months in prison. In addition, El-Fallal could face additional consequences as a result of the white collar fraud conviction, including the loss of professional licenses and a ruined reputation.
Even though it may seem easy to scam the system, getting caught certainly carries severe and long-lasting consequences for those committing these fraud crimes. Because the punishments for fraud and other white collar offenses are so severe, it is imperative that a defendant has a top criminal lawyer to help. Not only can knowledgeable trial lawyers fight for your rights in court, they can also provide the best legal advice and legal representation available for your case. Contacting experienced legal services is the first step to ensuring that the charges against you do not permanently change your life.