A New Jersey doctor, Muhammad Mirza, was sentenced to 26 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud Amtrak’s employee health care plan. Between April 2017 and June 2022, Mirza and his co-conspirators submitted false claims to Amtrak’s insurance company for services that were either never provided or medically unnecessary.
As part of the scheme, Mirza paid Amtrak employees to use their health insurance billing information to submit fraudulent claims. In total, the fraud resulted in losses of over $1.3 million for Amtrak. Mirza operated medical offices in several states, including New Jersey and New York.
In addition to his prison sentence, Mirza was ordered to pay $1.37 million in restitution and serve two years of supervised release. An attorney for Mirza did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the sentence. An Amtrak spokesperson referred questions to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of honesty and integrity in healthcare practices, as well as the consequences of engaging in fraudulent behavior. It is crucial that healthcare providers adhere to ethical standards and follow proper procedures when billing for services provided to patients.