Medical imaging company CEO sentenced for fraud

The chief executive of several medical imaging companies in California was sentenced to federal prison on Friday for bilking insurers out of tens of millions of dollars by bribing doctors to prescribe unnecessary tests.

Sam Sarkis Solakyan, 40, of Glendale was sentenced to five years in prison. A federal judge in San Diego also ordered him to repay nearly $30 million to insurers, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.

Solakyan was the CEO of several companies, including Vital Imaging Inc. of Glendale and San Diego MRI Institute, and operated facilities throughout California, the statement said.

Prosecutors said Solakyan paid some $9 million in bribes and kickbacks to doctors to refer patients for unnecessary diagnostic procedures, mainly MRIs, then submitted some $250 million in fraudulent claims through the California workers’ compensation system.

Solakyan was convicted last July of one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud and healthcare fraud, and 11 counts of honest services mail fraud.