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Physical therapist and former HHA owner Hemal Bhagat has pled guilty for his role in a $22 million Medicare fraud scheme, the Depart-ment of Justice says in a release.

Bhagat admitted to conspiring to bill Medi-care for home care services that were not actually rendered and/or not medically necessary, the DOJ says. Bhagat worked as a PT for Prestige Home Health Services Inc., then became a co-owner of Royal Home Health Care Inc., both in Troy, Mich. Prestige and Royal paid kickbacks to patient recruiters, used the beneficiary information obtained from the kickbacks to submit false claims, and created bogus documentation of the therapy services that weren’t furnished or medically necessary, according to the plea.

Bhagat is scheduled for sentencing in November.