Los Angeles DA Charges 15 Chiropractors in Alleged Fraud Scheme

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has filed charges against 15 chiropractors in a $6 million insurance fraud and illegal kickback scheme involving automobile collision medical claims.

The felony complaint in case BA477147 lists a total of 18 felony counts, including charges against all of the defendants of insurance fraud and participating in patient referral rebates when licensed in the healing arts or as a chiropractor.

Most of the defendants were arrested in a sweep on Thursday and were expected to be arraigned today. The case was filed on April 26 and announced on Friday.

The alleged ringleader of the operation, Yury Chernega, 47, of Studio City, faces four counts of insurance fraud as well as four counts of failure to file an income tax return and one count of money laundering. The charges include allegations of taking more than $500,000 from about 30 insurance companies through fraud and embezzlement.

He faces a possible maximum sentence of 18 years and nine months in state prison if convicted as charged. Prosecutors are requesting that his bail be set at $325,000.

Chernega’s alleged co-conspirators, their recommended bail and possible maximum prison sentence are:

• Michael Milman, 53, of Beverly Hills, $200,000 bail, 10 years and six months in prison.
• John Sherf, 53, of Sherman Oaks, $200,000 bail, 18 years and six months in prison.
• Jae Ho Park, 51, of Coto de Caza, $225,000 bail, 11 years and six months in prison.
• Danush Haghani, 46, of Yorba Linda, $225,000 bail, 11 years and six months in prison.
• Kamron Nourgostar 35, of Irvine, $200,000 bail, 10 years and six months in prison.
• David Wayne Ginoza, 54, of Torrance, $200,000 bail, 10 years and six months in prison.
• Alan P. Grubstein, 69, of Rancho Cucamonga, $225,000 bail, 11 years and six months in prison.
• Kamiar Riahi, 44, of Woodland Hills, $200,000 bail, 10 years and six months in prison.
• Sam Amirmoazzami, 45, of Encino, $225,000 bail, 11 years and six months in prison.
• Robin Stacy Long, 50 of Newhall, $200,000 bail, 10 years and six months in prison.
• Ramin Lavi, 55, of Chatsworth, $225,000 bail, 11 years and six months in prison.
• Gustavo Adolfo Nino, 55, of Pasadena, $200,000 bail, 10 years and six months in prison.
• Nahid Haji Acs, 62, of Rancho Cucamonga, $200,000 bail, 10 years and six months in prison.
• Victoria Davidovsky Lucas, 50, of Pacific Palisades, $200,000 bail, 10 years and six months in prison.

From 2015 through 2018, Chernega allegedly offered to refer new patients to other chiropractors in return for an illegal referral fee, through which he collected about $6 million, prosecutors said. The patients allegedly had been involved in automobile collisions.

The defendants also are accused of filing false claims for medical services they never provided. Additionally, Chernega allegedly didn’t report the income from the illegal kickbacks on his taxes, prosecutors said.

Source: Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office