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Doctor Gets 33 Months for Lab Kickback Scheme

The story incorrectly stated the length of the doctor's prison sentence. We regret the error and apologize for it. 

NEW YORK (360Dx) – A Staten Island, New York doctor has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for his role in a test referral scheme, the US Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey said on Wednesday.

Ahmed El Soury, who resides in New Jersey, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and fined $7,500. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Federal Travel Act, and the honest services wire fraud statute.

El Soury was part of a scheme run by Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services of Parsippany, New Jersey, its president, and numerous associates, the Attorney's Office said. So far, its investigation has resulted in 51 convictions, including the convictions of 37 doctors, in connection to a bribery scheme involving millions of dollars and resulting in more than $100 million in payments to Biodiagnostic from Medicare and private insurers.

The Attorney's Office said that it is believed to be the largest number of medical professionals ever prosecuted in a bribery case. To date, more than $13 million has been recovered through forfeiture, and in June 2016, Biodiagnostic pleaded guilty. It was required to forfeit all its assets, and the lab is no longer operational.

El Soury admitted to accepting cash bribes for referring patient blood samples to Biodiagnostic. Between March 2011 and April 2013, he received more than $66,000 in bribes from the lab's employees and associates. Those referrals generated about $650,000 in lab business to Biodiagnostic, the Attorney's Office said.