Will Esformes Pay?

Will Justice be done?

McKnight’s reported that a ruling in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found against Philip Esformes. In 2019, a jury found Esformes guilty of bribing physicians for illegal referrals and inappropriate collection of payment from 1998 to 2016 for services that were either unnecessary or not performed.

The DOJ convicted Esformes of defrauding the government of $1.3 billion involving healthcare fraud, illegal kickbacks and money laundering. Esformes personally netted about $37 million. A jury convicted the disgraced former nursing home chain operator. However, twice impeached and disgraced former President Trump commuted his prison sentence in 2020.

He is only liable for $44 million in penalties. He is getting off easy. I doubt he will pay a dime.

As noted in the Chicago Tribune in 2016, Esformes and his father, Morris, were involved in several multi-million-dollar settlements regarding alleged misuse of their long-term care and other healthcare holdings in Illinois, Florida and Missouri.

A lengthy summary of convictions, charges and allegations against Philip Esformes was more recently published by McKnight’s legal affairs blogger Neville Bilimoria in Chicago Lawyer in 2019.