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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Provo owner of two weight-loss clinics was charged Friday with 36 felony counts related to an alleged insurance scam.
Kelli Telford Lundahl Behle, 46, who owned and operated M.D. Diet Weight Loss and Nutrition Clinic in Murray and Orem, was billing insurance companies for a doctor's services, according to a criminal complaint filed in 3rd District Court in West Jordan.
But the doctor claimed he didn't treat the clinics' patients didn't know his name was being used to bill for services provided by Behle, who is not a doctor, according to the court records.
Insurance companies reported the clinics filed claims for reimbursement of medical treatment under the doctor's name in 2003 and 2004, according to the complaint.
Behle's bank records allegedly show she deposited the reimbursement checks into her business account. The checks were made out to the doctor and endorsed with his signature, although he says he never signed them and never authorized anyone else to do so, according to the complaint.
The complaint also alleges Behle called in prescriptions for several patients under the names of two others, who told investigators they didn't examine, diagnose or prescribe the drug for the patients.
The charges filed against Behle are a second-degree felony count of racketeering, two second-degree felony counts of false or fraudulent insurance act, three third-degree felony counts of false or fraudulent insurance act, 10 third-degree felony counts of forgery, a third-degree felony count of controlled substances, prohibited acts, nine second-degree felony counts of controlled substances, prohibited acts, and 10 third-degree felony counts of unlawful and unprofessional conduct.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
