A Passaic County doctor admitted in federal court on Tuesday that he accepted more than $100,000 in bribes in a test-referral scheme.

Salvatore Conte, 52, of Totowa, pleaded guilty before Judge Stanley R. Chesler in U.S. District Court in Newark to four counts of a 10-count indictment.

 

From February 2009 to April 2013, Conte accepted $130,000 in checks and cash in exchange for referring blood specimens of Medicare and privately insured patients to Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services of Parsippany. His referrals generated approximately $525,000 in business for the lab.

Conte was the fifth physician indicted in connection with the bribery scheme. The investigation has thus far resulted in 42 guilty pleas, 28 of which were from doctors, and involved millions in bribes and resulted in more than $100 million in payments to BLS from Medicare and private insurance companies. It is believed to be the largest number of medical professionals ever prosecuted in a bribery case.

Dr. Bernard Greenspan of Saddle Brook was indicted on March 14 and is currently on trial before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls.

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The investigation has to date recovered more than $12 million through forfeiture. The owners of the defunct BLS have pleaded guilty, and the firm was required to forfeit all of its assets.

The conspiracy, anti-kickback and Federal Travel Act counts to which Conte pleaded guilty are each punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The wire fraud charge is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

He will be sentenced on June 6.

Resource: http://www.northjersey.com/