Atlanta Chiropractor Guilty of Bilking Insurance Company

A suburban Atlanta chiropractor has been convicted of bilking an insurance company out of millions by filing false paperwork.

A U.S. District Court jury on Monday found Dr. William Stearns of Marietta guilty of health care fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors say the 47-year-old submitted fraudulent bills to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia to get paid for a back pain treatments that the insurance company refused to cover.

He and his partners, Steven Levine and Christopher Topel, owned Comprehensive Care Medical Group. Levine and Topel have pleaded guilty to the charges.

Stearns could be sentenced to up to 19 years in prison and a fine of up to $5.75 million at sentencing on Feb. 12.