A mobile PET scan provider will pay $8.33 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act involving unlawful kickbacks to medical practices. DOJ says the settlement stems from an alleged structure that led to false claims paid by federal health care programs.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced a resolution in a case involving alleged health care fraud tied to unlawful kickbacks. DOJ’s release states that a mobile PET scan provider will pay $8.33 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act based on kickbacks to medical practices. While this may not look like a typical phone, banking, or romance scam, DOJ frames the conduct as a fraud scheme impacting federal health care reimbursement. According to the announcement, DOJ alleged that the provider participated in a kickback arrangement—described as a structure designed to influence referrals or referrals-related decisions. These alleged kickbacks, DOJ claims, led to false claims being submitted to federal health care programs. The settlement amount reflects DOJ’s determination that the alleged conduct caused significant financial exposure for the government. The release illustrates how “fraud” in the legal sense can include referral manipulation and payments that violate federal anti-kickback rules. When such kickbacks are used to generate medically related business, they can convert routine health care services into a reimbursement scheme that the government says violates law. By tying the alleged kickback framework directly to claims made to federal programs, DOJ underscores the link between illegal payments and the submission of claims for payment. The $8.33 million payment shows that providers facing False Claims Act allegations can face substantial monetary resolutions where DOJ alleges illegal remuneration and resulting federal billing.