Crime & Safety
Ridgefield Osteopath Facing 210 Years, $7M Fine on Fraud Charges
Owner of Osteopathic Wellness Center charged on a total of 28 counts of fraud and false statements.
A Ridgefield osteopathic physician is facing up to 210 years in prison and fines totaling $7 million for charges of health care fraud.
David Lester Johnston, 45, was indicted on March 12 and arrested Tuesday on 14 counts of health care fraud and 14 counts of making false statements relating to health care matters as part of a scheme to defraud Medicare and private health insurers.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Johnston, owner of Osteopathic Wellness Center on Danbury Road, allegedly billed Medicare and insurance companies for services that he never performed. In other instances, he misrepresented the procedures or services.
Johnston pleaded ‘not guilty’ Tuesday and was released on $100,000 bond.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the health care fraud counts and a maximum of 5 years and a fine of $250,000 on the false statements counts.
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