October 2002

Kenneth Parker Pleads Guilty to Kickbacks

Emily M. Sweeny, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced that Kenneth R. Parker, D.C. was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann Aldrich following a guilty plea to a one count information that charged his with solicitng and receiving health care kickbacks, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 1320a-7b(b) (1).

Parker, a licensed chiropractor, age 56, is the owner of Parker Chiropractic Life Center Inc. in Akron, Ohio. He was sentenced to two years of probation, 150 hours of community service, restitution totaling $48,165.70, a $1,500 fine, a $100 special assessment and $6,794.16 for the costs of prosecution and supervision.

Between November 29, 1996 and continuing through around November 11, 1997, Parker conspired with Diagnostic Testing of Ohio (DTO), a now defunct Akron, Ohio-based mobile medical laboratory, and others unknown to the United States Attorney, to receive kickbacks in return for Parker referring his patients and ordering services, namely elecrodiagnostic tests, from the company.

Parker and DTO entered into agreements disguised as license agreements, but which were agreements to exchange the kickbacks for medical referrals and ordering of tests. Payments were determined by the volume or value of the business Parker generated. Parker solicited and received approximately 12 checks totaling $14,400.

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