Indictment: N.J. doctor got cash bribes for patient referrals
A southern New Jersey doctor has been indicted on charges he accepted cash bribes in exchange for sending patients for tests at two labs.
Federal prosecutors say 54-year-old Vincent Destasio faces one count of conspiracy to accept cash bribes and two counts of accepting cash bribes. The Toms River man could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Destasio, an osteopath with offices in Toms River, allegedly accepted kickbacks from two people who operated a marketing and sales company specializing in blood and DNA testing labs. He allegedly got about $25,000 through the scheme that allegedly ran from March 2014 through last May.
Prosecutors say Destasio got paid for referring patient lab work to two separate laboratories. The labs had no knowledge or involvement in the scheme.
A home telephone number for Destasio could not be located Saturday.
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