Doctor Convicted for $45M Medicare Botox Scam

A California physician has been found guilty of filing false Medicare claims that totaled about $45 million. The case involves a doctor who ran a cosmetic clinic in Glendale and claimed that patients needed Botox for chronic migraines, even though most received the treatment for purely cosmetic reasons. Investigators discovered that the doctor billed Medicare for procedures that were never performed, and even charged for injections while on holiday in places like Mexico, Hawaii, and Las Vegas. The doctor also fabricated medical records, making it look as if patients had tried other treatments first and still needed Botox.When federal agents began to close in, the doctor altered records after a subpoena was issued and then handed those forged documents over to investigators. Funds from the fraudulent claims were used to buy luxury items such as a $12, 000 crossbow and a $3, 000 painting, as well as expensive vacations. A jury found the doctor guilty of nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of obstructing a criminal investigation. The court seized several assets, including two Teslas and properties worth over $7 million in equity. Sentencing is set for September 10, where the doctor could face up to 20 years in prison per wire fraud charge and five years for each obstruction count.