Former Calif. Physician Pleads No Contest to Variety of Charges, Including Insurance Fraud

A former Brentwood, California physician charged with multiple counts of theft, insurance fraud, tax evasion and workers’ compensation fraud in three separate cases pleaded no contest this week to several charges and is facing up to 10 years in state prison, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Albert MacKenzie said the doctor, Parviz Kahn Berjis, 71, pleaded no contest to one count of auto insurance fraud, one count of workers’ comp insurance fraud and one count of tax evasion, and admitted the white collar crime allegation that the theft exceeded $500,000.

Berjis, whose medical office was at 11645 Wilshire Blvd., was first arrested in August 2003 following a probe by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation into an alleged long-running workers’ comp fraud against the County of Los Angeles.

In January 2004, he was arrested and charged in a separate case that culminated a nearly three-year investigation into allegations of fraudulent medical claim billings on automobile insurance claims. The complaint alleged the crimes occurred between Jan. 1, 1996, and Dec. 17, 2003. Named victims included several 11 insurance companies, the Automobile Club of California and the State of California.

A third case charging him with insurance fraud was filed in April 2004.

MacKenzie said the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation and the state Franchise Tax Board investigated the separate cases.

Berjis’ medical license was suspended in 2003. He has been in county jail for more than a year awaiting trial before today’s plea.

Berjis is facing between five to 10 years in state prison when he is sentenced Nov. 30 by Judge Larry P. Fidler. He also will be ordered to repay $5 million in restitution – including $2.8 million to the California Franchise Tax Board and $2.2 million to Los Angeles County, MacKenzie said.