NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Four salespeople involved in a long-running bribes-for-test referrals scheme involving a now-defunct New Jersey firm where they worked have been sentenced to prison terms for bribing doctors.
A fifth salesperson received a probation term when the sentences were handed down Thursday. The four who received prison terms also must pay forfeiture amounts ranging from $800,000 to $1.2 million.
Federal prosecutors say the five were part of a scheme orchestrated by the president of Parsippany-based Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services.
Fifty-three people - including 38 physicians - have pleaded guilty or been convicted in the scheme. It involved millions of dollars in bribes and resulted in more than $100 million in payments to BLS from Medicare and various private insurers.
The investigation has to date recovered more than $13 million through forfeiture.
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