Chicago Doctor Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Health Care Fraud

A suburban Chicago chiropractor has been sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to health care fraud.

Darwin Minnis admitted last year he and others working at his Maywood clinic submitted false claims to obtain payments from workers’ compensation and other insurers for services that were not provided. They also allegedly inflated claims for services they provided. Federal prosecutors say that resulted in $1.4 million in illegal payments.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge John Grady ordered the 56-year-old Minnis to pay $1.45 million in restitution.

Minnis was charged with 18 counts of health care fraud, with colleague Dr. Jacob Salomon and clinic employee Gary Strauss charged with one count each.

Salomon and Strauss also have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing