Man pleads guilty in Medicare fraud

A CALIFORNIA, man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to bilking Medicare by operating a bogus clinic near Einstein Medical Center in Logan.

George Baginyan, 32, could face more than 24 months in a federal lockup when he is sentenced Jan. 30.

Prosecutors alleged that Baginyan, as owner of New Era Health Center, made it appear as if a doctor provided services to an elderly and frail osteopath between December 2008 and October 2009 when the doctor never set foot in the clinic. The feds said he submitted phony claims of more than $268,000 and received payments of more than $132,848.