N.J. Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme

New Jersey Criminal Justice Director Vaughn McKoy announced that an Ocean County chiropractor has pleaded guilty for bilking insurance companies out of more than $6,400 in reimbursements for chiropractic treatments that were never provided to patients.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Ettore C. Carchia, 44, of Manahawkin, Ocean County, pleaded guilty before Camden County Superior Court Judge Linda Baxter to a criminal Accusation obtained by the Division of Criminal Justice – Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. The Accusation charged Carchia with Health Care Claims Fraud (3rd degree). When sentenced on Oct. 7, Carchia faces up to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

At the Aug. 12 guilty plea hearing, Carchia, the primary chiropractor at American Spinal Care Inc., located in Collingswood, Camden County, reportedly admitted that between Jan. 1, 1999 and Oct. 20, 2000, he submitted more than $6,400 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance claims to the Allstate Insurance Company and the Selective Insurance Company for payment for chiropractic services that were not provided to patients.

An investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice – Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor determined that Carchia falsified the claims by representing to the insurance companies that he had provided services that could not have been rendered given the amount of time that patients spent in Carchia’s office.

The Accusation resulted from an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice – Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor which charged former Camden City Police Department Sgt. Thomas G. DiPatri, 56, Egg Harbor Twp., Atlantic County; former Camden City Police Department Lt. Jerome F. Bolletieri, 43, Oaklyn, Camden County; Charles Warrington, II, 32, a Cherry Hill resident and officer of the chiropractic facility; and retired Camden City Police Sergeant Philip N. Ferrari, who died during the course of the investigation, for their roles in an organized insurance fraud scam.

DiPatri was convicted in August 2003 by Camden County Superior Court Judge John McNeill, III on charges of conspiracy, bribery, official misconduct and criminal use of runners for delivering illegally obtained accident reports to American Spinal Care Inc. DiPatri and Warrington were each sentenced to three years in state prison.

The owner of American Spinal who was also charged in the indictment died prior to trial. Jerome Bollettieri filed an appeal to the State Supreme Court seeking dismissal of the indictment. His appeal was recently dismissed by the Supreme Court and the case returned to Camden County Superior Court for trial.