LI Chiropractor Defrauded Insurers Out Of More Than $2.1 Million

A Long Island chiropractor pleaded guilty on Friday to stealing more than $2 million from health insurance companies through a fraud scheme.

Raymond R. Pellegrino, 50, who currently lives in McKinney, Texas, pleaded guilty to health care fraud. He is facing up to 10 years in prison, restitution of $2.11 million, forfeiture of $504,444 and a fine that is still to be determined.

“Pellegrino abused his position of trust as a health care provider by billing millions of dollars in fraudulent claims for services that doctors never provided,” said United States Attorney William Donoghue. “Today’s guilty plea sends the message that those who engage in such criminal conduct will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Pellegrino ran chiropractic offices in West Hempstead and Hicksville. He hired medical doctors for part-time work, and then billed Anthem Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield for work they didn't perform. Between December 2013 and September 2014, Pellegrino was paid more than $2 million by the company for fraudulent claims.