Awand Cops A Plea

The third member of the Medical Mafia has taken a deal. Howard Awand was allegedly the coordinator of the local doctors and lawyers who rigged medical malpractice lawsuits and split the profits.

Awand, like Kabins, pled (that's right, we're going with pled) guilty to misprision of a felony, meaning he knew about federal crimes being committed but did not immediately report them.

Awand is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25. He faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as well as restitution and a period of supervised release. As part of the agreement, the government agreed not to make any sentencing recommendation.

Prosecutors would not say whether this plea ends their investigation into the Medical Mafia shenanigans. We doubt it. A tipster recently sent us a federal court filing (2:10-cv-00282) which named doctors Raimundo Leon, Michael Prater and Mark Kabins, along with the Gazda & Tadayon law firm and he-who-doesn't-blink as defendants. The cause of action sounds strangely familiar:

Racketeering. Plaintiff says three attorneys and their law firms, and two doctors and their practices participated in a scheme by staging fraudulent medical care and treatments, then creating fraudulent billings and insurance claims. The attorneys and physicians sought payment for corresponding injuries to those fraudulent treatments.

Could this be the beginning of Round 2?

(LV Now; LV Sun; Thanks Tipster!)

Kabins Fails to Get Settlement Sealed ...

Yesterday the show moved from federal court over to Judge Gonzalez's courtroom, where Mark Kabins was attempting to have news of his $800,000 settlement with Dr. Daniel Burkhead (the anesthesiologist Kabins tried to blame for his own malpractice) sealed.

So much for that.

Up to bat for Kabins was local attorney John Spilotro. John is one of the nicest and most intelligent attorneys we have ever seen in practice. His morals are impeccable, and he smells very nice. If you think we're going to say anything bad about him ... fogitaboutit.

You may recognize Spilotro as one of the floats from the original March of the Morons ... though we would never intentionally insinuate that he was a moron. Did we mention how nice he smells? Like potpourri, but more manly.

During his argument to seal, Spilotro stated that the outrageous coverage from Channel 8 in the Medical Mafia case has been so unfair that he would hate for the media to get their hands on the agreement. If that happened, argued Spilotro, it would surely be distorted to put his client in a poor light.

That argument sounds perfectly logical to us ... we'd hate to see Kabins' impeccable reputation tarnished.

Spilotro has apparently been unhappy with Channel 8's coverage of the Medical Mafia case; he referred to George Knapp in court as "that guy who talks to little green men."

Judge Gonzalez declined to seal the case and sent Spilotro and his client back to meet with Burkhead and his attorneys to see if they could come up with a settlement that Kabins wouldn't be embarrassed by. Nice job, Betsy.

Err ... we mean, what's your problem, judge?! Don't you know a good argument when you see it? You keep fightin' that good fight, John!

(LV Now; Thanks, Tipster!)

State Medical Board Seeks Discipline For Kabins

The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners has filed a Complaint seeking to "discipline" Dr. Mark Kabins. The Complaint sets forth three counts:

• Count 1: Violation of NRS 630.301(9) - Conduct that "brings the medical profession into disrepute."
• Count 2: Violation of NRS 630.301(11)(g) - Conviction of offense "involving moral turpitude."
• Count 3: Violation of NRS 630.306(2)(a) - Engaging in conduct "intended to deceive."

Intent to deceive?! Why isn't every plastic surgeon in this town strung up by their toes?

You are likely already aware of the sequence of events which led to this Complaint being filed. In case you've been living under a rock, here's a hint: Exhibits 1-4 are Kabins' Grand Jury Indictment, Criminal Information, Guilty Plea Agreement, and Judgment, respectively.

Not being doctors ourselves, we're unsure if the Board of Medical Examiners has actual teeth or just slightly-jagged, duck-like gums like our own lawyerly disciplinary board. They certainly sound serious.

We'll have to wait to see if Kabins' punishment is in the form of a slap on the wrist, or a career change.

(Thanks, Tipster!)