Indian American fundraiser for jailed governor arrested
June 21st, 2012 - 9:08 pm ICT by IANS
Chicago, June 21 (IANS) A Chicago based IndianAmerican businessmen with ties to jailed Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has been arrested and charged with bribing doctors for patient referrals and filing false federal income tax returns.
Raghuveer Nayak, 57, owner of multiple outpatient surgery centres in Illinois and Indiana, was charged in a 19-count federal grand jury indictment unsealed Wednesday following his arrest, the US attorney’s office announced.
At a brief hearing at the Dirksen district court Wednesday, Nayak pleaded not guilty and US magistrate judge Maria Valdez ordered him released on a bond of $10 million secured by six properties, according to the Chicago Sun Times.
Nayak was a long time fundraiser for Blagojevich, convicted in the scandal to sell President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat, and Jesse Jackson, a member of the US House of Representatives.
According to the indictment, “between 2000 and December 2010, Nayak allegedly defrauded patients by paying and arranging to pay bribes and kickbacks in the form of cash and other hidden payments to physicians who would refer their patients to Nayak’s facilities for medical treatment.”
“After he was interviewed by law enforcement agents in December 2008, Nayak allegedly took additional steps to hide the scheme by executing fraudulent contracts and by warning physicians not to speak with agents about the payments,” it said.
Each count of mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
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- Indian-American fundraiser under US scanner - Apr 13, 2011
- Indian-American doctor convicted of health care fraud - Mar 15, 2012
- 19 Indians indicted for $60 mn medical fraud in US - Aug 03, 2011
- Former US governor sentenced to 14 years in prison - Dec 08, 2011
- Former co-owner of City of Angels Medical Center sentenced for fraud - Feb 23, 2010
- Judge to set the sentencing date for Rod Blagojevich soon - Aug 01, 2011
- Indian American doctor gets jail for $13 mn insurance fraud - Aug 12, 2010
- Indian-American offered to raise $1 mn for Senate seat - Jul 09, 2010
- Former Illinois governor guilty of lying - Aug 18, 2010
- Prosecutors Pledge Retrial As Rod Blagojevich Is Convicted Of 1 Of 24 Counts Against Him - Aug 18, 2010
- Indian American couple evade taxes, gave out drugs illegally - Aug 05, 2011
- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, others, indicted on 19 counts - Apr 03, 2009
- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich convicted on 1 count, plans to appeal - Aug 18, 2010
- Indian American doctor charged with hiding India accounts - Sep 29, 2011
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