Point Pleasant Doctor Gets A Year In State Prison For Taking Bribes

A Point Pleasant physician will spend a year and a day in prison for accepting bribes in exchange for test referrals to Parsippany-based Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said.

Anthony DeLuca, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery in connection with the long-running scheme operated by BLS. He is one of 38 - including 26 doctors- who have pleaded guilty in connection with the bribery scheme.

DeLuca previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging him with one count of accepting bribes. Chesler imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

The bribery scheme involved millions of dollars in bribes, which resulted in more than $100 million in payments to BLS from Medicare and various private insurance companies, Fishman said.

The investigation has recovered more than $10.5 million to date through forfeiture.

DeLuca admitted he accepted bribes in return for referring patient blood specimens to BLS. He was paid approximately $1,500 per month, which he received from another person in his medical office engaged in the same activity.

Chesler also sentenced DeLuca to serve one year of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine.

Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; IRS– Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen; and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates, with the ongoing investigation.

Fishman reorganized the health care fraud practice at the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office shortly after taking office, including creating a stand-alone Health Care and Government Fraud Unit to handle both criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions of health care fraud offenses. Since 2010, the office has recovered more than $635 million in health care fraud and government fraud settlements, judgments, fines, restitution and forfeiture under the False Claims Act, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other statutes.