A Bay Area chiropractor who billed four insurance companies for treatment she didn't provide for patients injured in auto accidents two years ago was sentenced to eight months in jail but doesn't have to surrender until after the holidays.
Dr. Linda Fang, of Walnut Creek, was sentenced to eight months in jail with credit for one day actually served after her April 21 arrest. Judge Craig Parsons delayed the sentence until Feb. 10 and will consider electronic monitoring instead, said court records clerks.
Fang, who operates offices in San Mateo and Walnut Creek, is free from custody on $100,000 bail
Eight San Mateo residents went to Fang for care after auto accidents between September 2003 and mid-2004. Fang treated them for the injuries but billed Farmer's Insurance, State Farm Insurance, the California State Auto Association and American Express "thousands" of dollars for work she never performed, said prosecutor Sharon Henry after charging 24 felony counts of fraud and theft.
Henry said one patient contacted her office after learning her insurance company was overbilled and further investigation turned up three others. Fang eventually pleaded no contest to seven felonies rather than stand trial on eight counts of presenting fraudulent claims, eight counts of making false statements in support of insurance claims and eight counts of grand theft.
Each felony charge carried between two and five years in prison, easily leaving Fang facing a double-digit sentence.
"This should be important to everybody because we all pay for fraud. A portion of our premium pays for fraud so we all pay for it in the end," Henry said after Fang was charged.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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