ATTORNEY, ACCOUNTANT, AND TWO ADMINISTRATORS ON TRIAL FOR REVENUE AND TAX CHARGES FOR THEIR ROLES IN $154 MILLION MEDICAL INSURANCE FRAUD SCHEME

ATTORNEY, ACCOUNTANT, AND TWO ADMINISTRATORS ON TRIAL FOR REVENUE AND TAX CHARGES FOR THEIR ROLES IN $154 MILLION MEDICAL INSURANCE FRAUD SCHEME
* Additional felony fraud counts for the defendants will be tried at a later date

SANTA ANA – The trial against attorney, accountant, and two administrators began today on revenue and tax charges for their roles in the largest medical fraud prosecution in the nation for recruiting over 255 healthy patients to undergo unnecessary and dangerous surgeries to fraudulently bill medical insurance companies. The court bifurcated the case due to its size and volume. This trial involves the failure to file tax returns and under-reporting income to state tax authorities. The other fraud charges remain pending and another trial date will be set after the completion of this trial. Opening statements started today in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

Roy Chester Dickson, 64, Yorba Linda, Unity’s attorney, is on trial for one felony count of perjury, three felony counts of filing a false personal tax return, and one felony count of failing to file a corporate tax return. If convicted, Dickson faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison for these counts. Dickson faces 101 additional felony counts which include two counts of conspiracy, eight counts of capping or paying for referrals, 30 counts of grand theft, 30 counts of insurance fraud, 30 counts of making false and fraudulent claims, one count of money laundering, and white collar sentencing enhancements for taking over $2.5 million on the fraud counts. These counts will be tried at a later date.

Andrew Robert Harnen, 58, Rosemead, Unity’s accountant, is on trial for four felony counts of filing a false tax return, nine counts of failing to file tax returns, and four felony counts of aiding and abetting the false reporting of taxable income. If convicted, Harnen faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and eight months in state prison for these counts. Harnen faces 101 additional felony counts which include two counts of conspiracy, eight counts of capping or paying for referrals, 30 counts of grand theft, 30 counts of insurance fraud, 30 counts of making false and fraudulent claims, one count of filing a false tax return, and white collar sentencing enhancements for taking over $2.5 million on the fraud counts. These counts will be tried at a later date.

Dee Francis, 62, a Unity administrator, is on trial for one felony count of perjury, one felony count of filing a false tax return, and nine counts of failing to file tax returns. If convicted, Francis faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison for these counts. Francis faces 102 additional felony counts which include two counts of conspiracy, eight counts of capping or paying for referrals, 30 counts of grand theft, 30 counts of insurance fraud, 30 counts of making false and fraudulent claims, one count of filing a false tax return, two counts of failing to file tax returns, and white collar sentencing enhancements for taking over $2.5 million on the fraud counts. These counts will be tried at a later date.

Rosalinda Rodriguez Landon, 66, a Unity administrator, is on trial for eight felony counts of filing false tax returns and two felony counts of failing to file tax returns. If convicted, Landon faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison for these counts. Landon faces 101 additional felony counts which include two counts of conspiracy, eight counts of capping or paying for referrals.