Father-son medical team sentenced for Medicare fraud

CAMDEN - A Cherry Hill osteopath, and his chiropractor son, are sentenced to 30 and 12 months in prison, respectively, for fraud that federal prosecutors said lasted for five years.

Robert Claude McGrath, D.O., 66 and Robert Christopher McGrath, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health cre fraud, according to the office of acting New Jersey U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick.

Their plea agreement calls for the McGraths to pay $890,000 restitution, and undergo three years of parole supervision after release.

In a separate civil case, the McGraths, and their company, are ordered to pay $1,780,000 plus fees to resolve allegaitions of violating the False Claims Act.

The pair own and operate Atlantic Spine & Joint Institute of Westmont, NJ, and Waye, PA. They admitted that between 2011 and 2016, they used untrained, unlicensed physical therapists to conduct treatments that, under Medicare rules, were required to be administered by the elder McGrath.

Investigators said that he was listed as the provider in forms submitted to Medicare for reimbursement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. David Walk, Jr., and Andrew A. Caffrey III represented the government. Robert Claude McGrath was represented by Hackensack attorney Perry Primavera. Robert Christopher McGrath and Atlantic Spine & Joint Institute retained Roseland attorney Riza I. Dagli.

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