TRENTON, N.J. – A doctor with offices in Washington, Hackettstown, and Succasunna, and his co-defendant today admitted their roles in a health care conspiracy to bill Medicare and private health insurance companies for medical services fraudulently claimed to have been provided by a licensed medical doctor, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Federal officials say Dr. Parminderjeet S. Sandhu, 66, of Long Valley and Paramjit Singh, 62, of Ohio, each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to informations charging them with conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
“Dr. Sandhu defrauded Medicare and private insurers – and, worse, put his patients at risk – by allowing those patients to be treated by Singh, a man who had lost his medical license,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said.
”Our office continues to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of federal healthcare programs and to make sure that patients do not suffer unnecessary harm from unscrupulous healthcare providers like these two defendants.”
“It's frightening to think that your doctor could be putting your health in the hands of someone who is practicing without a license,” FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie said.
“Dr. Sandhu put his patients at risk while defrauding them as well as their insurers. The FBI remains committed to investing its resources to combat these types of schemes because patients have every right to expect that the care they are receiving is from a qualified medical professional who is acting in the patient's best interest.
We urge anyone who is aware of healthcare fraud to contact us.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2014 through October 2017, Sandhu and Singh caused $2,211,975 to be billed to Medicare and private health insurance companies for medical services claimed to have been provided by Sandhu at Sandhu’s medical practice, Medical Care Associates Urgent Care Inc. In reality, those services were actually performed by Singh, whom Sandhu had hired to treat patients, despite knowing that Singh had lost his license to practice medicine anywhere in the United States.
Sandhu issued prescriptions – including prescriptions for opioids – in Sandhu’s name for patients seen by Singh, even though Sandhu never met with the patients himself. As a result of the conspiracy, Sandhu’s medical practice was paid $1,162,253 for treatment fraudulently provided by Singh.
Under terms of the plea agreement, if the court accepts the plea, each defendant will be sentenced to 18 months in prison. In addition, Sandhu and Singh have each agreed to pay $1,162,253 in restitution. Sandhu has agreed to forfeiture of $829,561 and Singh has agreed to forfeiture of $332,692. Sentencing is scheduled for April 28, 2020.