The CEO and co-owner of a Maryland diagnostics company is facing life in prison after a federal jury convicted him of two counts of healthcare fraud that resulted in death, according to the Department of Justice.
On Wednesday, a federal jury found 67-year-old Rafael Chikvashvili, PhD, guilty of healthcare fraud. Dr. Chikvashvili was the co-owner and CEO of Owings Mills, Md.-based Alpha Diagnostics, which was a portable diagnostic services provider, principally of X-rays.
According to evidence presented at trial, Dr. Chikvashvili was involved in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid. He and others allegedly conspired to create false radiology, ultrasound and cardiologic interpretation reports. He also allegedly submitted insurance claims for medical examination interpretations that were never completed by licensed physicians, according to the DOJ.
Dr. Chikvashvili allegedly instructed his nonphysician employees to interpret X-rays, ultrasounds and cardiologic examinations, which, according to testimony provided at trial, resulted in two patient deaths.
HENRY KOTULA 