Chiropractor in California Pleads Guilty in $150M Workers’ Comp Fraud Scheme

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A Los Angeles, Calif., chiropractor has pleaded guilty to taking part in a $150 million workers’ compensation fraud scheme.

Paul Turley of Granada Hills pleaded in early December to conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, mayhem, insurance fraud and unlawful patient referral

He’s facing up to eight years in prison.

Prosecutors say Turley was among a dozen people who allegedly billed insurance companies for phony or unnecessary surgeries, prescriptions, tests and office visits. Authorities say the scheme involved paying lawyers and others as much as $10,000 a month to illegally refer patients to medical workers taking part in the scam.

Authorities say some surgeries were performed by a physician’s assistant who never went to medical school, and some patients were left scarred or in need of additional surgeries.