BREAKING: Two from Wellington plead guilty to sober-home fraud scheme

Jan. 12--WELLINGTON -- Two Wellington residents are facing prison terms after they pleaded guilty in U.S. Federal Court to participating in a multimillion-dollar insurance fraud and money-laundering scheme connected to their ownership of sober homes and a drug-treatment center, the Justice Department said Friday.

Tovah Lynn Jasperson, 48, and Alan Martin Bostom, 75, were the owners of Angel's Recovery, an alcohol- and drug-treatment facility with locations throughout Palm Beach County.

Jasperson plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health-care fraud and is facing a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Bostom plead guilty to one count of making false statements related to a health-care matter and could get as many as five years in prison.

They are scheduled to be sentenced May 11.

Jasperson and Bostom provided kickbacks and bribes to area sober homes in exchange for their referral of insured residents to Angel's Recovery for treatment. This was done to "secure a steady stream of patients ... ," the justice department said. The treatment center then tested residents for drugs -- typically three times per week -- and billed the patients' insurance companies for payment.

Patients also received bribes, including free rent and paying patients' insurance premiums, if they agreed to live at the sober homes and attend drug treatment. Payments were also made to the owners of sober homes.

Jasperson and Bostom are also accused of hiring a doctor as medical director who often pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances that the employees gave out to patients. They continued to employ the doctor his medical license was suspendended, according to the Justice Department, and did not inform the Florida Department of Children and Families, which requires a licensed medical director at drug-treatment facilities.

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