By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
MAG COURT Exclusive, Sept 28 – In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on September 28, presentments were held by Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein on defendants in a health care fraud and money laundering case.
Inner City Press went to cover it, as the only media in the Mag Court, and live tweeted it here.
Earlier in the day, it was announced: "an indictment charging acupuncturists JUNYI LIU, a/k/a “Jenny,” and HONGXING WANG, as well as physical therapists GLEEN ANCIRO, NOEMI ALGODON, MOHAMED ELMANDOUH, GERARD ESTRELLA, RAMON GARCIA III, and HENLER DATU TAHIL, and cashier ZIHAO CHEN with operating an over $20 million health care fraud scheme at fraudulent medical offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. As part of the fraud scheme, CHEN and other of the defendants’ co-conspirators paid cash kickbacks to patients (the “Paid Patients”) who were insured by Medicare and/or other insurance providers (collectively, the “Insurance Providers”), and the defendants and their co-conspirators then billed Medicare and the insurance providers for physical therapy and acupuncture services related to the Paid Patients that were unnecessary or never performed. LIU was additionally charged with unlawfully enriching herself and a family member through a COVID-19 unemployment benefit scheme. The defendants were arrested earlier today and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein."
When that happened, Gerard Estrella had a Criminal Justice Act (tax payer funded) lawyer, despite having a $250,000 joint checking account. Judge Gorenstein approved the CJA but directed the AUSA to look into contribution to the taxpayers, if Estrella continues to work as a physical therapist. He is allowed to travel to the District of New Jersey.
Also released was cashier ZIHAO CHEN for one-tenth the bond ($25,000) but who said he wanted to find and pay his own lawyer. He had two supporters or family members in the gallery, one of whom Inner City Press has seen early in the afternoon out on East Broadway and Worth Street. It can be a long wait.
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