North Carolina Doctor Pleads Guilty to Medical Fraud

Federal prosecutors say a Huntersville, N.C., doctor has pleaded guilty to medical fraud and tax evasion.

Mark Tuan Le, 55, was accusd of hiding $2.4 million to build an 8,000-square foot home on Lake Norman, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Le and his former Northcross Medical Center have agreed to pay more than $6 million to settle a related civil fraud case. U.S. Attorney Anne Tompkins says it’s the largest settlement in the Western District of North Carolina against a single doctor.

Tompkins said Le cheated taxpayers twice: wrongly billing insurers for unnecessary services, then hiding the income to avoid paying taxes.

Le pleaded guilty Wednesday to seven counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy and one count of tax evasion.

Le faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the fraud charges, and five years in prison and $250,000 for tax evasion. No sentencing date has been set.

On Tuesday, Le voluntarily surrendered his license to practice medicine to the North Carolina Medical Board.