LONG BRANCH – A local doctor was charged by the federal government in billing more than $24 million for services he never provided.
Morris Antebi, 68, of Long Branch, was charged with three counts of health care fraud, wire fraud, and mail fraud, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Charges are merely accusations until proven in a court of law.
Investigators allege that Antebi billed $15.3 million to Medicaid and $8 million to Medicare, as well as additional charges to private insurance plans between 2014 and 2020. He worked in pain management and anesthesia.
Sometimes, he was overseas when he was supposedly treating patients. On more than 900 occasions, he billed more than 24 hours of services in one day.
Law enforcement surveillance revealed that he would leave the office early and still bill more hours than he was on the job.
Patients were interviewed, who said that Antebi would only see them for very brief periods of time, and that he often did not perform any medical exams or evaluations during their visits. They also said that sometimes, there was no medical equipment or examination tables in the rooms. Sometimes, they didn’t get a room; they met with a provider while sitting on a folding chair in a hallway.
The health care fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The wire fraud and mail fraud counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Many investigators were involved in this case: the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency Health Care Fraud Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, and IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez in Newark with the investigation leading to the criminal complaint and officers of the Northfield Police Department. U.S. Attorney Carpenito also credited agents of FBI’s Headquarters Health Care Fraud Unit Data Analysis Response Team under the direction of Special Agent Greg Heeb in Washington, D.C.
