JURY FINDS CHIROPRACTOR GUILTY OF FRAUD
United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, March 2, 2007, that after deliberating for four hours, a jury of six men and six women found Dr. Brent J. Detelich guilty of one count of health care fraud and one count of mail fraud.
Dr. Detelich, age 37, who now resides in California, was tried before United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that Dr. Detelich was a chiropractor licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania between 1996 and 2000. Dr. Detelich owned and operated a chiropractic clinic known as Detelich Chiropractic and Advanced Medical and Holistic of Hermitage, Pennsylvania. Between 1996 and 2000, Dr. Detelich submitted fraudulent claims to Highmark for chiropractic treatment and services which were not rendered. When Highmark paid those claims, Dr. Detelich split some of those insurance payments with certain patients who were involved in the scheme with him.
The sentencing date for Dr. Detelich has not yet been set. The law provides for a total sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court released Dr. Detelich on bond.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Highmark's Special Investigation Unit conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dr. Detelich.
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