By Raquel Maria Dillon
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A former hospital executive pleaded guilty Wednesday to paying recruiters who brought in homeless people for unnecessary medical treatment in a scheme to collect millions of dollars from government health programs.
Dante Nicholson, 51, is among at least four people charged in the recruiting scheme at City of Angels Medical Center, where he served as senior vice president. He faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to two counts of paying illegal kickbacks. He also agreed to pay more than $4.1 million in restitution to the federal government.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Farhat said Nicholson was the liaison between the recruiters and other hospital executives between 2004 to 2007.
Full Story: Nicholson admitted he paid recruiters to find homeless people for unneeded hospital stays