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Press Release

Troy Man Pleads Guilty To Health Care Fraud

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael VonFricken, age 44, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to obtaining false receipts for orthodontic services and submitting them to his union’s health care plan, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.

VonFricken was charged with health care fraud for obtaining $32,732 in cash reimbursements from the Health and Welfare Plan of the Plumbers and Steamfitters, Local Union Number 7.  Between July 1, 2008 and March 5, 2015, he submitted approximately 17 fake receipts for orthodontic work that he did not receive.

U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino is scheduled to sentence Michael VonFricken on June 21, 2016.  His brother John VonFricken, age 50, also of Troy, was separately charged with fraudulently obtaining $54,600 in cash reimbursements from the same union.  John VonFricken also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge D’Agostino on June 3, 2016.

The convictions carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon B. Shinerock.

Updated February 24, 2016

Topic
Health Care Fraud