ABC Billing Settles False Claims For $1.7M; Whistleblower to Get $323K

Farideh Heidarpour, her billing company A.B.C. Billing Inc., and her son Ali Heidarpour (who was also her employee) have agreed to pay $1.7 million to settle allegations that her and her company knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to workers’ compensation programs, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Melinda Haag announced last month.

The United States alleges that Heidarpour, her company, and her son submitted or caused to be submitted to the Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, false claims by certain clinics for supplies and services not provided, not supported by medical documentation and/or not medically necessary, resulting in millions of dollars of damages to the United States. The majority of the patients at issue were United States Postal Service (USPS) employees claiming work-related injuries.

The lawsuit was originally filed by a former employee of a clinic in Texas that worked with ABC Billing.  The False Claims Act allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to sue on behalf of the government and share in the recovery.  The whistleblower in this case will receive $323,000 as her share of the settlement.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who expose every kind of fraud against the government, including health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.