New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the indictment of Payam Toobian, M.D., 52, of Kings Point, New York, and his company, America’s Imaging Center, Inc. (America’s Imaging), for defrauding Medicaid by forcing patients to get unnecessary and invasive medical tests. For years, Toobian allegedly ran a kickback scheme where he bribed other physicians for patient referrals, subjected some of those patients to tests and procedures that they did not need, and then caused false claims to be submitted to Medicaid for those tests.
Toobian, through his corporation America’s Imaging, operated Empire Imaging, a diagnostic radiology center in Forest Hills, Queens. Toobian was charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Health Care Fraud in the Third Degree, eight counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, and three counts of violating the Social Services Law statute prohibiting the payment of kickbacks related to the provision of services under the state’s Medicaid program, all felony charges.
“New Yorkers should be able to trust that their doctors are working to heal them, not profit off of their suffering,” said Attorney General James. “Bribery and kickback schemes corrupt our healthcare system and make it impossible for patients to receive the care that they need. The idea that a licensed physician would subject patients to unnecessary testing to line their pockets is unconscionable, and my office will continue to go after medical providers that jeopardize the health and safety of New Yorkers.”
