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Anonymous ID: a8164c May 26, 2023, 1:30 p.m. No.18907429   🗄️.is 🔗kun

Prescott doctor abruptly closes practice, charged in federal prostitution case

 

"PRESCOTT, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - Lori Owens was only able to cobble together a small stack of records to document years of medical care. “I’ve tried every avenue I can try to recover my medical records.” she said, holding back tears.

 

A few months ago, Owens was surprised to learn her doctor’s office, Thumb Butte Medical Center, had abruptly closed. “The doors were locked with a sign on it that said Dr. [Hojat] Askari had sold the business, and that was it. You couldn’t call. You couldn’t get through.” Now, a new practice greets old patients in the same location. Owens says there was no warning and is facing a race against time for her records. “They need them to decide my Social Security case, she said. “I desperately need those records in order for my case to go forward. I need the evidence. I need the treatments. I need who I’ve been to see. I need my medications.”

 

Marty English went to the same practice. The grandmother, who moved to Prescott to be closer to family, can’t locate her medical records either, and fears necessary medical care may fall through the cracks. “Everything just disappeared. Nobody knew anything about my records,” she said. “I’ll have to start all over.”

 

By law, patients are entitled to their own medical records. In Arizona, providers must keep adult patients’ records for at least six years after the last health care service. The law also requires “when a health care provider retires or sells the provider’s practice the provider shall take reasonable measures to ensure that the provider’s records are retained.” Patients who are unable to access their records can file a complaint with the Arizona Medical Board.

 

A spokesperson for the Arizona Medical Board said due to confidentiality, the board cannot disclose the existence of any investigations or complaints into Dr. Askari, but said in general, “the board may take action against the physician’s license for failing to release and/or retain the records according to law.” The board’s records show Dr. Hojat Askari’s license remains active.

 

After On Your Side began asking questions, Owens received an email with a release form for her to complete. A couple weeks later, she was able to pick up a CD with her records on it but says her new doctor’s office is not able to open the files.

 

Doctor faces federal criminal charges

 

While On Your Side was searching for medical records, Askari’s name appeared in a federal court case. We learned he is one of two defendants charged in a criminal prostitution case. According to court documents, Askari and a second defendant, Iman Bambooyan, encouraged women to travel across state lines “for the purpose of engaging in sex acts in exchange for money.” The indictment alleges Askari wrote checks for thousands of dollars from personal and business accounts. He is also accused of lying to FBI and IRS investigators. A second grand jury investigation is referenced in the indictment.

 

 

Askari turned himself in, and he was arraigned in a federal courtroom in Illinois, where he denied the claims. Askari’s attorney on record, Meghan Blanco, has not responded to On Your Side’s questions. Physicians who are charged with a felony or misdemeanor involving ‘moral turpitude’ are required to notify the Arizona Medical Board within 10 days of being charged. It’s unclear if Askari has notified the board of the charges he is facing."

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/prescott-doctor-abruptly-closes-practice-charged-in-federal-prostitution-case/ar-AA1bHaHc?

Anonymous ID: a8164c May 26, 2023, 1:52 p.m. No.18907525   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>7529 >>7594 >>7725 >>7940 >>8077 >>8150

"BAY CITY, Mich. (WNEM) - A mid-Michigan vascular surgeon has been sentenced to 80 months in prison for orchestrating a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud health care programs.

 

Vasso Godiali, a surgeon from Bay City, was sentenced on May 3. He admitted to submitting claims for vascular stents and thrombectomies that he did not perform.

 

Besides prison time, the Department of Justice said Godiali has been ordered to pay $19.5 million in restitution to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan. He also has to pay the United States up to $43,419,000 to resolve civil allegations from fraudulent billings.

 

“We will not tolerate the use of federal health care programs as a source of personal enrichment,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our commitment to protecting the integrity of those programs and the taxpayer funds used to support them.”

 

According to a plea agreement from Feb. 8, 2022, Godiali admitted to defrauding medical insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, in 2009.

 

The DOJ said Godiali’s fraudulent practices resulted in $14,473,000 in damages to the federal government.

 

A civil forfeiture case seized $39.9 million from Godiali’s financial accounts, except for $7.5 million, which will be released to his wife.

 

“A priority of my office is protecting our district against unscrupulous health care providers.” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Dr. Godiali stole an enormous amount of money from both public and private health insurers over a number of years, and falsified medical records to cover up his scheme to defraud. We hope that today’s sentence and substantial civil recovery deter any other physicians likewise inclined to line their pockets at the expense of the public.”

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bay-city-surgeon-sentenced-to-prison-for-health-care-fraud/ar-AA1bGXJA?

Anonymous ID: a8164c May 26, 2023, 1:59 p.m. No.18907566   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>7725 >>7940 >>8077 >>8150

FBI investigating hazardous fallout from Bay Area refinery

 

"The FBI and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have opened a joint investigation into the release of hazardous materials from a Bay Area oil refinery — an incident that has sparked heated criticism of the facility's owner as well as local government officials.

 

FBI agents and EPA Region 9 staff have been going door to door in the city of Martinez, asking residents for details about the release of metal-laden dust from the Martinez Refining Co. over the Thanksgiving holiday last year.

 

An FBI spokespeson confirmed Friday that the agents were canvassing residents as part of a joint investigation, but referred all other inquiries to the EPA.

 

“EPA is communicating with local, state, and federal agencies and does not comment on any ongoing investigations,” said Michael Brogan, a spokesperson for EPA Region 9.

 

Martinez Refining, located on an 880-acre industrial complex on the northern edge of the city, emitted as much as 24 tons of so-called spent catalyst, a mix of chemicals used to break down crude oil into finished petroleum products like gasoline, according to the local air district.

 

The fallout left cars, homes and at least one school blanketed in a white powdery substance. Tests determined that the residue contained metals such as aluminum, barium, chromium, nickel, vanadium and zinc.

 

Martinez Refining did not immediately inform county officials about the chemical release as required by law, according to Contra Costa County Health Services. The local air district and county officials learned after receiving complaints from residents.

 

The health department later advised community members not to eat foods grown in the soil if their homes were dusted by the spent catalyst.

 

The entry of federal investigators has stunned Martinez residents who are still awaiting the county-ordered soil testing and investigations by other local agencies.

 

"We kind of expected quiet investigations in the background. But to have the FBI come out, that was never on our radar at all," said one Martinez resident who spoke with federal investigators and asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.

 

The county health department has referred two violations to the Contra Costa County district attorney’s office — one for failure to notify the proper authorities of a hazardous material release and one for illicit discharges into the county stormwater system. Both referrals remain under review."

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/fbi-investigating-hazardous-fallout-from-bay-area-refinery/ar-AA1bKbru?

Anonymous ID: a8164c May 26, 2023, 2:12 p.m. No.18907634   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>7662 >>7725 >>7940 >>8077 >>8150

FBI raid on Commissioner Ford’s home related to 2021 ethics probe

 

"MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A two-year investigation into Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. for the misuse of public funds is what prompted the feds to raid his family home in Whitehaven early Thursday morning.

 

FBI searches Memphis home linked to Ford family members

The search warrant was the result of a $450,000 grant given to Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South in 2019. The non-profit reportedly bought $45,000 worth of computers from Ford’s business.

 

However, Ford allegedly did not disclose the dealings. Due to a conflict of interest, the case was then sent to District Attorney General Robert Carter in Middle Tennessee.

 

“We were asked to handle this matter as a pro tem prosecutor back in March of 2021. We’ve been working on the investigation since then,” Carter said.

 

Attorney for County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. responds to ethics violations allegations

A statement that County Mayor Lee Harris’ office sent Thursday regarding the matter says: “… the mayor has been working for some time to advance a series of local reforms and breathe new life into the county’s ethics ordinance.”

 

Friday WREG pressed county officials about the issue but were told they were not making any comments about Commissioner Ford.

 

But Chief Administrative Officer Harold Collins eventually elaborated on the mayor’s intentions for the ethics ordinance.

 

“Well that’s something that the mayor has been pushing and trying to get done for a long time,” Collins said. “The ethics ordinance only prescribes that elected and appointed officials adhere to policies that does not bring reproach upon Shelby County government.”

 

The Junior Achievement of Memphis office was closed Friday, but a spokesperson previously said they are cooperating with authorities.

 

Junior Achievement to move into old Save-a-Lot space

We also returned to the Ford home for their side of the story. No one answered, but we were greeted with Bible scripture taped to the door — sending a message that, while at the center of a federal investigation, they’re now falling back on their faith.

 

District Attorney Robert Carter would not say why the feds are involved in the investigation or what they were looking for, but said more search warrants will possibly be served."

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fbi-raid-on-commissioner-ford-s-home-related-to-2021-ethics-probe/ar-AA1bKmFo?