LIVONIA, Mich. – A professional fighter from Wayne County is accused of receiving illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for ordering bogus urine drug tests from a Livonia doctor mired in a massive prescription drug case.
Joshua Burns, of Wayne County, and Dr. Francisco Patino, of Livonia, are accused of being part of a Medicare and Medicaid fraud scheme from 2012 through 2014, according to the lawsuit.
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Burns is accused of conspiring to receive kickbacks and bribes for submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare for medical items, testing and services.
Officials said Burns and Patino received kickbacks for referring urine samples and ordering urine drug tests to be conducted at two laboratories at the Renaissance Age Management Institute on Buckingham Street in Livonia.
The lawsuit says Patino concealed and disguised kickbacks and bribes he received by entering into sham contracts or employment relationships, causing Burns and others to receive kickbacks. This led to Burns and others paying hundreds of thousands of dollars toward Patino's advertising of the Patino Diet through his sponsorship of boxers, MMA fighters and UFC fighters, officials said.
Burns and others are accused of causing Medicare to pay about $2,604,000 for urine drug testing claims that were procured through the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes.
Around Oct. 15, 2013, Burns and Pitino caused a wire transfer of $24,097.50 to be transmitted by an associate of one of the laboratories and deposited into a bank account belonging to JHB Medical Management Company, which benefited Burns and Pitino, according to the lawsuit.
Patino would have Burns transfer money into a bank account to pay for advertising for the Patino Diet through his sponsorships, officials said.
A $4,000 wire transfer was made Oct. 16, according to the lawsuit. Payments of $3,000, $1,500 and $1,000 were also referenced in the lawsuit.
You can read the full lawsuit below.