The defendant in a Medicaid fraud case was recently denied in his bid to have his bail lowered.

The 45-year-old Boonton Township man was arrested in June and accused of paying doctors to send patients to New Jersey medical facilities for unnecessary tests. According to authorities, the suspect perpetrated the fraud over a period of five years.

In addition to the main suspect, who is believed to be the ringleader of the operation, 12 of the suspect’s associates were also arrested in June.

Prosecutors said that the Medicaid fraud scheme resulted in fraudulent claims totaling $8 million.

The suspect will face charges of first degree racketeering. If he is convicted of the most serious charges, he could be sentenced to as many as 20 years in NJ State Prison. Beyond that, he may face deportation charges when he is released.

In the meantime, the suspect attempted to get his $1 million dollar bail amount lowered to $100,000. However, a judge in Morris County Superior Court in Morristown rejected his request. The judge also rejected the state deputy attorney general’s request to increase the suspect’s bail amount.

To learn more about this case, access out the NJ.com article entitled “Bail Kept at $1 Million for Alleged Ringleader in Medicaid Fraud Scheme.”

If you are facing theft or fraud charges in New Jersey, contact Morristown NJ criminal defense attorney Travis J. Tormey for a free consultation about your case.