Four Twin Cities chiropractors, Angela Schulz, 47, of Chaska Preston Forthun, 38, of Bloomington Huy Ngoc Nguyen, 42, of Brooklyn Park Adam John Burke, 32, of Minneapolis, 15 others accused of insurance fraud worth millions

Four Twin Cities chiropractors, 15 others accused of insurance fraud worth millions

By Tory Cooney | vcooney@pioneerpress.com

PUBLISHED: December 21, 2016 at 7:16 pm | UPDATED: December 22, 2016 at 4:01 pm

Four Twin Cities chiropractors fraudulently billed auto insurance companies for millions of dollars through “nearly identical” but independent conspiracies, according to four indictments unsealed Wednesday by federal prosecutors in Minneapolis.

The four chiropractors plus 15 patient recruiters were indicted on charges of conspiring to commit health care fraud between 2010 and 2015, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. Two other chiropractors were implicated as well.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, left, announces Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016, in Minneapolis that federal authorities in Minnesota have charged 21 people with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in what they describe as separate scams by six chiropractors that defrauded auto insurance companies out of more than $20 million. Listening at right is Minnesota Commerce Commishioner Mike Rothman. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

More charges against more chiropractors are likely, Luger said at a news conference detailing the fraud, which allegedly totaled more than $20 million.
Luger said the chiropractors allegedly billed auto insurance companies for treatments that people who had been in accidents didn’t need and, in some cases, services they never provided. The chiropractors allegedly paid illegal kickbacks to “runners” to recruit accident victims, and some of the “runners” in turn paid kickbacks to patients to ensure that they kept coming back for unnecessary appointments, he said.

The other defendants are accused of working as “runners.” They typically made around $1,000 per patient they brought in and sometimes worked with patients to stage phony accidents so there would be police reports to back up their claims, he said.

Luger said the defendants took advantage of an opportunity for fraud in Minnesota’s no-fault auto insurance system, which requires that policies cover at least $20,000 worth of medical bills for people injured in accidents. While some runners worked for more than one chiropractor, he said, the alleged conspiracies operated independently from each other. He expects more chiropractors will be charged.

“We know that there are many more out there committing the exact same conduct,” he said. “Our investigation does not end today; this is only the beginning, and you can expect more charges in the future.”

Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime, said Richard Thornton, special agent in charge of the Minneapolis office of the FBI.

“The reality is every single person in Minnesota who owns a car is paying more for their car insurance because of this type of fraud,” he said.

The chiropractors indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud are:

• Angela Schulz, 47, of Chaska
• Preston Forthun, 38, of Bloomington
• Huy Ngoc Nguyen, 42, of Brooklyn Park
• Adam John Burke, 32, of Minneapolis

The two “runners” indicted on two counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud are:

• Abdisalan Abdulahab Hussein, 48, of Minneapolis
• Sahal Ali Warsame, 35, of Minneapolis

The 13 “runners” indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud are:

• Yahye Mohamed Herrow, 45, of Minneapolis
• Temitayo Ifeloju Olusholda Daniel, 35, of Minneapolis
• Merron Redi Samuel, 36, of St. Paul
• Abdirahun Khalif Ibrahim, 25, of St. Paul
• Dana Enoch Kidd, 35, of Elk River
• Samatar Hassan Omar, 28, of Edina
• Abdinasir Mayon Abikar, 31, of Minneapolis
• Ali M. Abikar, 28, of Edina
• Dana Stephen Comeaux, 57, of Brooklyn Center
• Carlos Patricio Luna, 48, of Minneapolis
• Jerome Tarlve Doe, 52, of Brooklyn Park
• Napolean Tutex Deah, 32, of New Brighton
• Sammany Rathy Spangler, 27, of Woodbury

Chiropractors Marlyn Comes and Darryl Humenny were charged separately in a type of document that usually means a plea deal is in the works. They were not arrested.