Dominican in US$105M fraud case gets new lawyers: Palmbeachpost.com

Santo Domingo.- Dominican eye doctor Salomon Melgen has hired a new — and powerful — legal team to represent him on charges that he bilked Medicare out of US$105 million one week after a federal magistrate blasted his previous attorneys, palmbeachpost.com reported Wednesday.

It said U.S. District judge Kenneth Marra signed an order Tuesday that allows Melgen to replace his former legal team and hire Miami attorney Matthew Menchel and Washington lawyer Kirk Ogrosky, “to represent him on 46 charges of health care fraud and 30 related offenses.”

“Specializing in treating age-related macular degeneration, the 60-year-old physician is accused of falsely diagnosing and treating hundreds of patients at three clinics in Palm Beach County and one in Port St. Lucie to become the biggest Medicare biller in the nation,”

the outlet said.

The ophthalmologist was indicted in April accused of operating a mutually beneficial bribery scheme with NJ senator Bob Melendez.

Melgen, born in the Dominican Republic where he hobnobs with tycoons and powerful politicos at the famous resort Casa de Campo, is known for throwing wild parties set to live music.