Officials: 21 charged in healthcare kickback conspiracy

TYLER – The Department of Justice announced criminal charges against 36 defendants in 13 federal districts across the United States for more than $1.2 billion in alleged fraudulent telemedicine, cardiovascular and cancer genetic testing, and durable medical equipment schemes. One defendant, 54-year-old Jeffrey Paul Parnell, is from Tyler. In connection with this national effort, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas has charged a total of 21 individuals, including doctors, laboratory executives, hospital executives, and marketers for their involvement in alleged healthcare kickback and money laundering conspiracies. Additionally, 33 doctors and healthcare executives have agreed to pay over $32 million in order to resolve False Claims Act allegations for their involvement in the scheme, according to a news release.

The criminal and civil cases allege that the defendants unlawfully enriched themselves by paying and receiving illegal kickbacks in exchange for laboratory referrals. Click here to read the entire news release.