Preston Ellard Forthun, Insurance Fraud, Minnesota 2023

Twin Cities Chiropractors Sentenced for Insurance Fraud

Two Twin Cities chiropractors, Preston Ellard Forthun and Adam John Burke, have been sentenced to prison for orchestrating multi-million dollar insurance fraud schemes. According to U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald, Forthun, 40, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, while Burke, 34, received a 90-month sentence.

The chiropractors, who were found guilty last year following separate jury trials, devised schemes to defraud automobile insurance companies. They hired patient recruiters, known as “runners,” to solicit automobile accident victims to attend treatments at their clinics. The runners were paid for each patient they recruited, and the patients were paid to induce them to attend treatments at the clinic. The schemes were structured to maximize the clinics’ billings to insurance companies.

Forthun, of Bloomington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud. He was ordered to pay $1,553,500 in restitution. Burke, of Minneapolis, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud. He was ordered to pay $991,530 in restitution.

Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Jessica Looman praised the sentences, stating, “These chiropractors put personal greed above their professional duty. These sentences send a strong message that health insurance fraud is a serious crime and those who perpetrate it will be investigated and prosecuted.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Jill Sanborn added, “The defendants took an oath to help, but their scheme defrauded all of us, and today’s sentence shows that there are severe penalties for those who seek to defraud the system.”

The cases were investigated by the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with additional assistance from the Minneapolis Police Department, Saint Paul Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Kokkinen, Amber M. Brennan, and David M. Maria.

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