DALLAS—Two chiropractors, who operated clinics in Arlington and Haltom City, Texas, were indicted this week on charges related to their participation in a staged accident scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Minh Huynh, also known as Michael Huynh, 37, was charged with three counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of mail fraud. Thien Tuan Vo, also known as T.T. Vo, also 37, is charged with one count of health care fraud. Vo will make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge William F. Sanderson and Huynh will make his initial appearance on Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul D. Stickney.

Huynh and Vo operated their chiropractic clinics to treat patients who reported that they had suffered personal injuries, generally from motor vehicle accidents, and to generate medical billings for submission with insurance claims. Together they operated Injury Plus Pain Clinic, with offices at 787 E. Park Row in Arlington, and 3159 Denton Highway, Suite C, in Haltom City. At some point, they separated their business interests with Vo operating the First Injury Clinic on Denton Highway in Haltom City and Huynh operating the First Injury Clinic on East Park Row in Arlington.

According to the indictment, participants in staged accidents, or "accident clients," would enter into an agreement with a law firm for that law firm to process and submit claims to insurance companies arising from the staged accidents. The law firm would refer the accident clients to chiropractors, including Huynh and Vo, who would create false and fraudulent treatment and billing records for the accident clients that would falsify and inflate the number of treatments the accident clients received. Huynh and Vo would submit the bogus treatment and billing records to the firm for submission to insurance companies. When a settlement check was received, the firm would issue checks to itself, the chiropractors, and the accident clients.

The indictment further alleges that Huynh paid kickbacks to a legal assistant at a law firm for each client referred to him. It was agreed that the amount of the kickback would be a portion, ranging from 30% - 50%, of the settlement funds paid to the chiropractor from the law firm. Huynh would routinely inflate billings to compensate for the kickbacks he agreed to pay for the referrals. The Settlement Disbursement form the firm provided to its clients, along with their settlement check, concealed and failed to disclose the kickback arrangement and deprived the clients of their full recovery from the settlement.

An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. However, if convicted, each health care fraud count carries a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The conspiracy to commit mail fraud and the mail fraud counts each carry a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution may be ordered. 

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Stokes.