A judge sentenced Michael Pines, PhD, to 27 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, according to a May 10 news release from the Justice Department.
In January, Dr. Pines pleaded guilty to submitting over a million dollars in false claims from his Glastonbury, Conn., practice. According to the Justice Department, between January 2017 and October 2023, Dr. Pines submitted claims for dates of services when he was not working, including when he was on vacation and recovering from surgery.
Dr. Pines also submitted claims for clients when they were in the hospital or had stopped coming to his practice, and claims for patients who had never been his client, according to the Justice Department.
A judge ordered Dr. Pines to pay back the full $1.6 million in fraudulent claims. He also surrendered 16 pieces of jewelry paid for using his business bank account, with a value of over $65,000.
