Two Dallas doctors pleaded guilty Tuesday in a multimillion dollar scheme to defraud health insurance companies by giving patients fake injections.
Twin brothers Deno Barroga and Desi Barroga admitted to submitting claims for corticosteroid injections they never administered. Each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, according to court documents.
The phone number for their Dallas office did not work when called by a Dallas Morning News reporter Tuesday and contact information for their attorneys was not immediately available.
As part of the scheme, the Barrogas required patients to visit their office monthly to receive pain management drugs, including hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine. During those visits, the 51-year-old doctors told insurance companies they gave patients corticosteroid injections, which are used to treat joint pain, arthritis and sciatica, among other conditions.
Most of the injections were never administered, though, according to court documents. Rather, the doctors would simply place a needle on the patient’s body without piercing the skin to mimic an injection. The doctors would then apply lidocaine to the area.
Following the visits, the doctors created fake medical records, often cut and pasted or cloned from patient to patient with little to no variation, court documents say. They also instructed patients to include false statements about the injections and other treatments in the record.
In plea papers, the brothers said they billed Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna and United Healthcare some $45 million and pocketed at least $9 million between early 2016 and late 2022. They each face up to 10 years in federal prison.
As part of their plea agreement, the brothers agreed to forfeit their medical licenses at least 14 days before sentencing. They also agreed to pay restitution, which the court will set at a later date.
The doctors, whose office was at 7515 Greenville Ave., previously drew the attention of the Texas Medical Board.
Desi Barroga was placed on a remedial plan in 2021 after the board found he did not maintain adequate medical records, patient history, examination details and his medical rationale for prescribing controlled substances, including fentanyl patches, to one patient.
In 2016, Deno Barroga was ordered to pay a $3,000 penalty and complete a physician prescribing course after the board said he improperly prescribed controlled substances and other medications to multiple patients. The board also required another physician to temporarily monitor his practice.
Staff writer Irving Mejia-Hilario contributed to this article.
