A nursing home employee in Lock Haven, Pa., has been charged with conspiring with an unnamed physician in a long-running kickback scheme.
According to a Dec. 5 news release from the Justice Department, Paul Polen, who oversaw the nursing home's workers' compensation program, hired the physician under the condition that the physician would return half of his monthly salary to Mr. Polen.
The physician agreed to the arrangement, which required minimal work — only a few hours each month — including evaluating Mr. Polen's personal workers' compensation claims.
Over the course of approximately 20 years, the physician paid Mr. Polen between $1,700 and $2,500 per month. To avoid detection, payments were made at the physician's home.
The pair allegedly conspired to embezzle, steal and defraud the nursing home of approximately $528,450.