NEWARK, N.J. – Two former associates of Parsippany, New
Jersey-based Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC (BLS) were each sentenced
today to 21 months in prison for their roles in a test referral bribery scheme,
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Cliff Antell, 43, of Rumson, New Jersey, and Craig Nordman,
39, of Whippany, New Jersey, had previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District
Judge Stanley R. Chesler to informations charging each with one count of
conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Federal Travel Act and
one count of money laundering. Judge Chesler imposed the sentences today in
Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements
made in court:
Nordman was a BLS employee and the CEO of Advantech Sales
LLC – an entity used by BLS to make illegal payments. Antell was an associate
who used an entity – Brown’s Dock Consulting – to disguise the bribe payments
to doctors.
The investigation has resulted in 53 convictions – 38 of
them doctors – in connection with the bribery scheme, which its organizers have
admitted involved millions of dollars in bribes and resulted in more than $100
million in payments to BLS from Medicare and various private insurance
companies. It is believed to be the largest number of medical professionals
ever prosecuted in a bribery case. The investigation has recovered more than
$15 million through forfeiture. On June 28, 2016, BLS, which is no longer
operational, pleaded guilty and was required to forfeit all of its assets.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Chesler sentenced
Antell to three years of supervised release and fined him $10,000. Nordman was
sentenced to one year of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI,
under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark;
inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting
Inspector in Charge Judy Ramos; IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction
of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson in Newark; and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the
direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert, with the ongoing
investigation.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel
Joseph N. Minish; Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Alfonzo Walsman, Co-Chief of
the Public Protection Unit; Jacob T. Elberg, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s
Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark; and Senior Litigation
Counsel Barbara Ward of the office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
Defense counsel:
Nordman: Timothy R. Anderson Esq., Red Bank, New Jersey
Antell: Robert A. Weir Esq., Red Bank
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