FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- Five Florida attorneys and five of their accomplices are accused in a patient-brokering scheme that brought in more than a half-million dollars in profits.
Broward Sheriff's officials said in a news release that the arrests were made Sept. 6 following a two-year investigation by the Organized Crime Unit.
The investigation revealed that several personal injury attorneys were paying people to unlawfully solicit unsuspecting vehicle accident victims to make insurance claims for damages or personal injury benefits.
Investigators say the attorneys paid the solicitors on a per-client basis, and then referred the accident victims to a health care facility in exchange for cash kickbacks of $1,500 to $2,500 per patient.
Each suspect faces numerous charges, including organized fraud, criminal solicitation and patient brokering.
Officials say the group received more than $521,000
Attorneys:
Adam Hurtig, 46, male, 3/19/71, 1704 N.E. 16th Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Alexander Kapetan, 44, male, 11/30/72, 3249 N.E. 31st Ave., Lighthouse Point
Vincent Pravato, 48, male, 9/14/68, 10138 Laurel Road, Davie
Steven Slootsky, 57, male, 8/20/60, 3054 N.W. 60th St., Boca Raton
Mark Spatz, 58, male, 3/29/59, 13185 S.W. 28th Court, Davie
Solicitors:
Joaquin Barreda, 39, male, 6/13/78, 5300 S.W. 21st Court, Plantation
Mark Eskin, 62, male, 1/10/55, 22274 Vista Lago Drive, Boca Raton
Richard Kist, 36, male, 7/12/81, 6246 Riverwalk Lane, #6, Jupiter
Elvira Perchitti, 53, female, 1/31/64 & James Perchitti, 61, male, 2/13/56,1912 S.E. Hillmoor Drive, Apt. 57, Port St. Lucie