Your Doctor Got a Secret Payout for Ordering That Scan – How a California Company Bribed Its Way into Patients’ Lives
A California-based provider of mobile medical imaging services has agreed to pay more than $8.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated federal law by paying illegal kickbacks to referring physicians, federal authorities said.
Modern Nuclear Inc. (MNI), headquartered in La Habra, agreed to pay $8,334,350.71, along with additional amounts tied to future revenues, to settle claims brought under the False Claims Act. The settlement reflects the company’s ability to pay and resolves allegations that it submitted false or fraudulent claims to federal health care programs.
According to the United States, between Sept. 1, 2016, and Jan. 14, 2025, MNI paid referring cardiologists excessive fees in exchange for patient referrals for positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Prosecutors alleged the payments violated the Anti-Kickback Statute by exceeding fair market value and serving as improper financial incentives.
“Paying illegal kickbacks to cardiologists so they refer patients undermines the integrity of federal healthcare programs and needlessly increases costs,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Patients deserve care based on their medical need and not on a doctor or company’s financial interest. Our office will continue to bring such cases to hold wrongdoers accountable.”
Authorities said the payments were ostensibly for supervising PET scans but, in practice, often covered time when cardiologists were treating other patients, not present at all, or performing services that were rarely or never provided. The government further alleged that MNI relied on an attorney opinion letter to justify the payments, but that letter was based on inaccurate assumptions and was later withdrawn by the consultant.
Federal officials said such arrangements can distort medical decision-making and increase costs to government health programs. The settlement includes a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, requiring MNI to implement compliance measures, monitor relationships with referring physicians, and retain an independent expert to evaluate its compliance program.
“Paying kickbacks to physicians — as alleged in this case — can undermine the integrity of the Medicare program by interfering with impartial medical decision-making,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG).
The case originated from a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act by relators Matt Lieberman and James Whitney. Under the law’s qui tam provisions, private individuals may bring actions on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. The relators in this case will receive 16% of the settlement amount.
The allegations resolved by the agreement have not been proven in court, and there has been no determination of liability.
He Had One Job: Fill Your Prescriptions Safely. Instead, He Forged Scrips, Dumped Oxy on Traffickers, and Stole Millions from Medicare
How a Michigan Technician Betrayed His Patients and His Profession
A Michigan pharmacy technician has pleaded guilty to participating in a multimillion-dollar health care fraud scheme and illegally distributing oxycodone, federal authorities said.
Ali Naserdean, 32, of Dearborn Heights, entered the plea in connection with a scheme that defrauded health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, by billing for prescription medications that were never prescribed or dispensed.
According to court documents, Naserdean worked at three pharmacies in the Detroit metropolitan area and, between 2019 and 2022, conspired with another individual to submit false claims for prescription drugs. Prosecutors said the claims were based on forged prescriptions using doctors’ names, even though the patients had never seen those physicians and the medications had not been ordered.
Authorities said the scheme resulted in more than $5.6 million in losses to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
In addition to the fraud, Naserdean admitted to providing unlawful prescriptions for oxycodone to drug traffickers during the same period. Prosecutors said he exchanged the prescriptions for cash and did so without regard to whether they were legitimately issued or dispensed.
Naserdean pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and possession with intent to illegally distribute oxycodone. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 1 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal judge will determine his sentence based on federal guidelines and other statutory factors.
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