A medical doctor who admitted to conning an insurance company of over $5 million was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment when he appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Friday.
Dr Alvin Grant, who was on trial for numerous fraud-related cases, pleaded guilty to over 36 counts on his second trial day last October.
Reports are that between 2012 and 2014 Grant submitted more than 100 claims to Guardian Life on behalf of some of his patients.
In 2015, Guardian Life carried out an audit at Grant’s office in Black River. It was later revealed that the signatures on the documents were forged. A number of Grant’s patients subsequently gave statements saying they did not receive medical attention for most of the visits and said that the signatures were not theirs.
On March 3, 2016, he was arrested at his office.
The Jamaica Observer understands that prior to sentencing, Dr Grant repaid $700,000 to the insurance company.
During mitigation, Dr Grant, who represented himself, told the court that he was remorseful even though persons thought he was not.
Before handing down the sentence, Parish Judge Maxine Ellis told Grant that she took into consideration that he had pleaded guilty after the trial started. Ellis took into consideration that no explanation was ever given as to why he took the money.
Judge Ellis also outlined that she is aware of the evidence, given the fact that there was a trial.
Ellis also took into consideration that Grant had no previous conviction and that the residents of St Elizabeth needed their physician.
However, Ellis told Grant that she had to balance all of that against the fact that she has the responsibility to society when crimes like these are committed.
Ellis, while noting that insurance companies are not in the business to lose, pointed out that as a result of his actions, they are forced to increase their premiums.
In addition to that, Ellis said that if he had tried hard enough to repay, he could mitigate the sentence.
The Sunday Observer understands that the matter was initially set for sentencing last November, but it was postponed.
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