Surgeons, hospital owner convicted in massive kickback scheme involving Forest Park Medical Center

Surgeons, hospital owner convicted in massive kickback scheme involving Forest Park Medical Center


Dallas -- Seven out of nine defendants, including four doctors, were convicted Tuesday for their roles in a $40 million bribery and kickback scheme involving Forest Park Medical Center, which illegally paid for surgeries to boost its bottom line before shutting down.

Prosecutors said the surgeons agreed to refer patients to the Dallas hospital in exchange for money to market their practices. That advertising revenue helped some of the doctors grow their practices considerably.

Patients were a valuable commodity sold to the highest bidder, according to the government. The more surgeries doctors could bring to Forest Park, the more money they could earn.

One of the charged surgeons, Dr. Nick Nicholson, was acquitted. Nicholson is a noted bariactric surgeon who has appeared on many television shows, including Good Morning America.

Read more:. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2019/04/09/surgeons-hospital-owners-convicted-massive-kickback-scheme-involving-forest-park-medical-center