WEIRTON - A local chiropractor with offices in Weirton and Wheeling pleaded guilty this week to charges of health care fraud and income tax evasion, U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II said.
Joseph J. Yurigan, 62, of New Alexandria, Pa., entered the pleas in U.S. District Court in Wheeling and could be sentenced to 15 years in prison for both charges. He also faces a fine of up to $350,000.
The health care fraud charge stems from Yurigan submitting a fraudulent claim to a health care benefit program, the U.S. attorney said, and the income tax evasion charge is for the calendar year 2008.
Yurigan is a doctor of chiropractic medicine who operates Weirton Chiropractic Clinic and Wheeling Spine Center.
As part of the plea agreement, Yurigan must make restitution in the amount of $513,373.92 for the health care violation and $322,692.03 for the tax evasion violation. He must pay at least $501,639.57 in restitution by the time of his sentencing.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, the West Virginia Insurance Commission and the Internal Revenue Service.
