In 2009, Julian Omidi, a former dermatologist, had his medical license revoked for participating in dishonest and unprofessional habits. Only a few months later, in February of 2010, Omidi would go on to launch a controversial weight reduction program and start a multi-million greenback scheme of fraudulent insurance coverage claims.
On Monday, Omidi, 54, was sentenced to seven years in federal jail for submitting almost $120 million in fraudulent insurance coverage claims in relation to his enterprise, 1-800-GET-THIN, which offered and promoted weight reduction by means of Lap-Band surgical procedures.
“Omidi intentionally and repeatedly acted with a watch in direction of enterprise and earnings, quite than within the curiosity of GET THIN’s medical sufferers, by inducing sufferers to endure medical remedy premised on fraud quite than medical necessity, together with surgical procedures that carry vital dangers and life-long well being impacts,” mentioned United States Legal professional Martin Estrada, in an announcement.
As a part of the insurance coverage scheme, Omidi had potential sufferers endure not less than one sleep research — after which instructed staff to falsify outcomes to get the shopper’s insurance coverage firm to pre-approve the process, in response to courtroom paperwork. If insurance coverage firms didn’t approve the surgical procedure, Omidi nonetheless submitted payments for the sleep research, which value about $15,000 a pop. Prosecutors estimate that insurers paid an estimated $41 million to Omidi’s 1-800-GET-THIN enterprise all through his scheme.
“Omidi was effectively educated; he had each alternative to achieve success and make moral selections. Nonetheless, pushed by greed, he dedicated a number of the most unconscionable and atrocious acts,” Tyler Hatcher, particular agent answerable for IRS Felony Investigation’s Los Angeles Subject Workplace, mentioned in an announcement.
The “protected, one-hour” process promised sufferers a fast, straightforward path to weight reduction utilizing a Lap-Band. Nonetheless, from 2010 to 2014 Michael Hiltzik of The Los Angeles Occasions reported on 5 circumstances of sufferers dying after receiving Lap-Band surgical procedures at clinics affiliated with 1-800-GET-THIN.
Along with the jail sentence, Omidi’s Beverly Hills-based firm, Surgical procedure Heart Administration LLC, was placed on 5 years of probation.
