Newly filed motion says physical therapists Aaron W. Hertel, Michael R. Brown do not oppose order that they repay insurers total of $15 million derived from billing scheme at physical therapy clinic.
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Restitution for Hertel & Brown owners reaches millions of dollars
On Aug. 21, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a motion that said the owners of Hertel & Brown Physical & Aquatic Therapy do not oppose a court order that they pay $15 million in restitution in their fraud case.
- The owners of Hertel & Brown Physical & Aquatic Therapy have agreed to pay $15 million in restitution for health insurance fraud.
- Aaron W. Hertel and Michael R. Brown were each sentenced to six years in federal prison and fined $250,000 in largest-ever case of white-collar crime in…
PROCUREMENT & EXPENDITURE (STOPPING KICKBACKS)
Procurement fraud usually involves inflated invoices or “fictitious” vendors.
- The Three-Way Match: Never pay an invoice unless you have matched the Purchase Order (PO), the Delivery Note (signed), and the Supplier Invoice.
- Vendor Master File Review: Review your vendor list annually. Look for suppliers with the same bank details or physical addresses as your employees.
- Dual Authorization: Implement a “Two-to-Sign” rule for all EFT payments above a certain threshold (e.g., R5,000).
- No “Cashing” of Checks: If you still use physical checks, strictly prohibit “Cash” as a payee and store blank checks in a dual-lock safe.