New York Man Sentenced to 8 Months for Medicare Kickback and Healthcare Fraud

A federal court in Boston has sentenced Robert Seidman, 56, of Plainview, New York, to 8 months in prison for participating in a Medicare kickback scheme involving medically unnecessary transcranial doppler (TCD) tests. Seidman previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute for his role in a network of referrals that drove unneeded testing and generated millions in improper Medicare claims. In addition to the prison term, Seidman was ordered to pay $8.3 million in restitution and $131,000 in forfeiture to hold him accountable for financial harm to federal healthcare programs.

Prosecutors described how Seidman and co-conspirators used sham “administrative services” and “rental” agreements with physicians to funnel kickbacks based on volume of tests ordered. These unlawful financial incentives led to referrals for unnecessary brain imaging services, driving fraudulent claims to Medicare. The case highlights how kickback arrangements distort medical decision-making, harm patients, and result in significant liability under federal law. It also underscores the continued focus of prosecutors on combatting healthcare fraud and enforcing anti-kickback and False Claims Act provisions.