A San Diego neurosurgeon walked out of an Orange County courtroom a partial winner Thursday, acquitted of conspiracy to commit workers’ compensation insurance fraud but still staring down one unresolved felony count.
Jurors found the doctor not guilty on the conspiracy charge but split 7–5 on a separate felony count alleging false or fraudulent claims. That deadlock leaves the second charge hanging. A hearing on a defense motion to dismiss the remaining count is set for Jan. 29.
Verdict Leaves One Charge Standing
Prosecutors had already trimmed an original 13-count complaint down to two charges by the time the case reached a jury. The acquittal wipes out the conspiracy allegation, while the split verdict on the second charge leaves it unresolved for now.
Even with the partial win for the defense, the financial fallout from the wider probe is still very much in play. State officials told reporters there are roughly $23 million in liens tied to the physician’s medical group still outstanding, according to MyNewsLA.
Allegations Built Around A Referral Network
Orange County prosecutors say the case sprang from a broader investigation into Southern California Injured Workers, a management company accused of steering injured employees into a tight circle of medical providers while handling scheduling, staffing, billing and collections for those practices…