Insurance Fraud Casebook: Paying a Premium for Crime

Needles in a Paystack

CHARLES PIPER

Susan Shamrock became a doctor because she wanted to provide people with relief from their allergy suffering. Although sticking needles in patients was not her favorite thing to do, Susan knew she was helping them get back to their normal lives. She enjoyed being a physician and helping people.

On the home front, Susan was happily married. She and her husband had two daughters who enjoyed a lifestyle most kids would envy. The girls attended private schools, had the latest electronic gadgets and even received expensive professional golf lessons. The family lived in a big house, and Susan and her spouse drove fancy cars. Dr. Shamrock was highly respected in her community and she gave generously to various local charities.

As the years passed, both Susan and her husband took to gambling at local casinos for entertainment. Eventually, Mr. Shamrock quit his job to pursue professional gambling; by doing so, he could even write off gambling losses on their tax returns. Predictably, Susan's husband lost a lot of their money gambling. But their marriage was good, their kids were happy and Susan's practice was profitable.

A Growing Company

After Susan opened her own allergy clinic, she grew increasingly gratified that she was able to help so many patients; plus the money was good. Business was slow in the beginning, but it didn't take long before patients ...