Doctor Sentenced in Health Care Fraud Obstruction Case

Dr. Mahmoud Yassin, 61, of Robinson, Illinois, was sentenced in federal district court in Benton for obstructing a criminal health care fraud investigator, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Dr. Yassin was sentenced to serve three years of probation, a fine of $10,000, a special assessment of $100, and he was ordered to pay restitution to BCBS of Illinois in the amount of $19,615.17. As a condition of probation, Dr. Yassin must also serve 30 days in prison.

The felony obstruction occurred on March 2, 2012, when a FBI agent, having served a subpoena for patient records on Dr. Yassin, was given a patient progress note that had been altered by the doctor to show an in-office examination previously claimed to an insurance carrier, but which had not taken place.

In a civil settlement with the United States Attorney’s Office regarding false claims to Medicare, Dr. Yassin paid double damages in the amount of $87,348.64. The restitution and civil false claims settlement were based on claims for in person office visits in which the patient either failed to show up for an appointment or only was spoken to by telephone.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Quinley.