Chiropractor coached patients to fake injuries at Anheuser-Busch, other companies

St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)

Feb. 9—ST. LOUIS — An Arnold-based chiropractor and two people who worked in her office were convicted Wednesday of fraud after coaching people to fake physical limitations to receive disability payments from the government and companies, including Anheuser-Busch.

Vivian Carbone-Hobbs, 60, of Fenton, was convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud, as well as 10 counts of health care fraud and two counts of theft. Christina Barrera, 63, of St. Louis, and Clarissa Pogue, 39, of DeSoto, were each convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud, and Pogue was convicted of one count of theft, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Carbone-Hobbs co-owned the chiropractic clinic Power-Med Inc. with her husband, Thomas G. Hobbs, who previously pleaded guilty in the scheme.

Prosecutors said employees of Power-Med helped patients conceal their abilities to lift, sit, stand or walk in exchange for thousands of dollars in upfront fees and hundreds of dollars in follow-up appointments. Carbone-Hobbs also billed insurance companies for services that weren't provided, attorneys said.

In a recorded conversation, an undercover investigator told workers at the clinic he was not injured but was "just tired of working," to which the employee responded, "You're going out, you're going to be permanently disabled," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Sixteen defendants have been convicted or pleaded guilty in the conspiracy, including Carbone-Hobbs' husband, Thomas G. Hobbs.

Hobbs admitted in January to fraudulently helping patients receive more than $3.5 million in disability benefits and using a fake medical license number to submit false reports and claims for services that weren't actually rendered. He is set to be sentenced April 19.