Published: 2009-03-26 12:50:17
Author: Texas Cable News, December 12, 2008
HOUSTON -- A Houston area chiropractic clinic owner has been sentenced to federal prison for money laundering. Theresa Williams, 48, laundered the proceeds of an insurance fraud scheme, according to acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson.
Williams, owner of the Chiropractic Injury and Rehab and the Antioch Pain and Wellness Center, was sentenced Friday to 33 months in federal prison.
Williams was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of her prison sentence and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,771,737 to The Hartford Insurance Company.
Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder funds and testified for the government in the jury trial of her three co-defendants in January of this year.
Beginning in September 2005 until about June 2006, Williams received checks from The Hartford for treatment and services never actually provided.
Prosecutors say she worked with a friend, Sandra Washington Johnson, who was employed in Houston by The Hartford Insurance Company as a Level III claims adjuster.
According to a news release from prosecutors:
"Prosecutors said Johnson was authorized to order payments be made from The Hartford to medical clinics that had provided treatment to patients covered under The Hartford’s workers compensation insurance plans. Johnson caused checks to be mailed to the chiropractic clinics owned by Williams for treatment and services that were never actually provided. In return, Williams wrote kickback checks from the proceeds of the mail fraud scheme to “Charlie Johnson” or “C. Johnson Claims Service” to compensate Johnson for her role in the scheme. Williams introduced The Hartford employee Johnson to Eric Amoako, a personal injury attorney with an office on Bissonnett in southwest Houston, Dianne Winzer, the owner of yet another clinic, and Winzer’s daughter Deandrea S. Wade. They also agreed to receive The Hartford checks from Johnson for services never rendered and to pay Johnson and Williams kickbacks for sending the funds to them."