The investigation of now-defunct Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services has resulted in convictions for 38 physicians, in what is believed to be the largest number of medical professionals prosecuted in a bribery case.
Another New York area physician was sent to prison this week for his role in a sweeping bribery scheme that paid kickbacks for test referrals with the now-defunct by Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC.
Thomas V. Savino, 59, of Staten Island, is the 53rd person – and 38th physician – to be sentenced in the scheme when he was handed four years in prison by a federal judge in Newark, New Jersey this week.
Savino was convicted in October of 10 criminal counts related to the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Federal prosecutors showed that Savino received cash bribes totaling at least $25,000 in 2012 and 2013 from BLS in return for referring his patients' blood specimens to BLS. Savino's referrals generated approximately $375,000 in lab business for BLS.
In addition to the prison time, Savino was handed three years of supervised release, fined $100,000 and ordered to forfeit $27,500.
The BLS scheme's organizers have admitted that their scheme involved millions of dollars in bribes and resulted in more than $100 million in payments to BLS from Medicare and private payers.
The scheme has resulted in what is believed to be the largest number of medical professionals ever prosecuted in a bribery case. The investigation has recovered more than $15 million through forfeiture.
Officials at the now-shuttered BLS in Parsippany, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in June 2016 and forfeited all assets.
John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.