LOS ANGELES
Twelve chiropractors have been charged in a $2.5 million insurance fraud and illegal kickback scheme involving automobile collision medical claims, state prosecutors allege.
“Defrauding insurance companies is a serious crime that costs all of us in the form of higher premiums,” District Attorney George Gascón said. “We will continue to work with local, state and federal regulators to protect consumers from financial crimes.”
The defendants with nine felony counts, including insurance fraud and participating in patient referral rebates when licensed in the healing arts or as a chiropractor.
Arraignment for all but one defendant has been scheduled for June 29 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Arraignment for defendant Alexander Royzman, 49, of Granada Hills is expected to take place the following week.
The scheme’s alleged ringleader, Yury Chernega, 49, of Studio City, faces four counts each of the aforementioned charges as well as one count of money laundering. The charges include allegations of taking more than $500,000 from about 30 insurance companies through fraud and embezzlement.
In addition to Royzman and Chernega, the other defendants are:
- Edith Coronado-Grande, 57, of Glendora
- Lon Segal, 65, of Los Angeles
- Bruce Householder, 49, of Burbank
- Christine Elvine, 51, of Arcadia
- Luzan Madain, 46, of Canyon Country
- Payam Shayan, 51, of Tarzana
- Arash Noor, 41, of Los Angeles
- David Soloway, 51, of Brea
- Gilberto Gomez, 72, of Los Angeles
- Omid Okhowat, 51, of Los Angeles
From 2014 through 2019, Chernega allegedly offered to refer new patients to other chiropractors in return for an illegal referral fee, through which he collected about $2.5 million, prosecutors said.
The patients allegedly had been involved in automobile collisions.
The defendants also are accused of filing false claims for medical services they never provided.
The case stems from an ongoing case involving Chernega and 14 additional chiropractors filed in 2019. The case alleges a total of $6 million in illegal referral fees.