The owners of two South Jersey MRI facilities today admitted paying more than $30,000 in cash bribes to a doctor for patient referrals, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Norman Brettler, a/k/a “Norbert,” 67, of Cherry Hill, and Lee Getson, 62, of Southampton, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas in Camden federal court to separate information charging them each with one count of conspiracy to pay kickbacks.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Brettler and Getson owned Positional Imaging Associates LLC, d/b/a Ocean Upright MRI in Toms River and Tilton Dynamic Imaging LLC in Northfield.
From January 2012 through June 2014, Brettler and Getson agreed with others to pay cash bribes to a doctor in exchange for patient referrals. Brettler and Getson paid the doctor more than $30,000 for referrals, resulting in more than $115,000 in Medicare payments to their MRI companies. The conspiracy charge to which Brettler and Getson pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for June 29, 2015.