Just last week 21 doctors, executives, investors and others were accused of a massive conspiracy to direct patients to the Forest Park Medical Center in Dallas. (I assume you all know the cause was money.) The group was charged last month following an FBI investigation.

Here’s a list of those indicted:

Alan Andrew Beauchamp, 64, of Dallas
Richard Ferdinand Toussaint, Jr., 58, of Dallas
Wade Neal Barker, 51, of Dallas
Wilton McPherson Burt, 61, of Costa Rica
Andrea Kay Smith, 37, of Rockwall, Texas
Carli Adele Hempel, 40, of Plano, Texas
Kelly Wade Loter, 48, of Dallas
Jackson Jacob, 53, of Murphy, Texas
Douglas Sung Won, 45, of Dallas
Michael Bassem Rimlawi, 45, of Dallas
David Daesung Kim, 54, of Southlake, Texas
William Daniel Nicholson IV, 46, of Dallas
Shawn Mark Henry, 46, of Fort Worth, Texas
Mrugeshkumar Kumar Shah, 42, of Garland, Texas
Gerald Peter Foox, 69, of Tyler, Texas
Frank Gonzales Jr., 41, of Midland, Texas
Israel Ortiz, 49, of Dallas
Iris Kathleen Forrest, 56, of Dallas
Andrew Jonathan Hillman, 40, of Dallas
Semyon Narosov, 51, of Dallas
Royce Vaughn Bicklein, 44, of San Antonio, Texas

Those charged doled out almost $40 million in bribes and kickbacks. The Department of Justice says the cold hard cash influenced doctors to refer higher-paying patients to the medical center.

Prosecutors said that FPMC was an out-of-network hospital in Dallas setting their own prices. Those patients whom doctors and surgeons referred to FPMC usually had high-reimbursing out-of-network private insurance benefits which meant greater reimbursements.

From the article:

“According to the indictment, two surgeons were paid over $3 million to refer their patients to FPMC. Another surgeon allegedly received $7 million in exchange for a referral. Many of the doctors and surgeons involved were also FPMC investors.

“The surgeons spent the vast majority of the bribe payments marketing their personal medical practices, which benefitted them financially, or on personal expenses, such as cars, diamonds, and payments to family members,” the Justice Department said.

The medical center was alleged to have collected over $500 million from patient insurance plans and over $200 million in paid claims, from 2009 to 2013. Those who are under investigation could receive up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. They may also be forced to “forfeit any property, real or personal, which constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to the offenses,” reported the article.

We will be watching this story with great interest and update you as more information becomes available.

Source: NBC DFW