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FORT MYERS — Nesly Loute, 52, of Naples, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his role in a PIP auto insurance scam where five unlicensed chiropractic clinics received more than $2 million in ill-gotten payments.
U.S. District Judge Sheri Poster Chappell also ordered Loute to pay $2,146,147.23 in restitution to the victim automobile insurance companies, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. A federal jury convicted Loute of conspiracy to commit mail fraud Sept. 29.
According to evidence introduced during the six-day trial, Loute conspired with others to operate unlicensed chiropractic clinics and bill automobile insurance companies for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. Members of the conspiracy also paid patients to induce them to seek treatment at the unlicensed clinics, so the automobile insurance companies could be billed for their PIP benefits, authorities contended.
Members of the conspiracy, officials alleged, also participated in staged motor vehicle accidents and submitted claims to automobile insurance companies for PIP benefits based on those fake motor vehicle accidents.
Five other defendants previously pleaded guilty to charges relating to the conspiracy, according to the statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Four of those individuals have already been sentenced: Garry Joseph, 37, of Naples pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and was sentenced to 37 months' imprisonment; Anouce Toussaint 33, of Naples, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and conspiracy to launder money and received 18 months' imprisonment; Maria Victoria Lopez, 44, of Moore Haven, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and was sentenced to three years' probation; David Adamson, 47, of Bonita Springs, a licensed chiropractor, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and was sentenced to serve a five-year term of probation and 180 days of home confinement. Wisler Cyrius, 35, of Naples, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and conspiracy to launder money. His sentencing his scheduled for on March 13, 2017.
The Fort Myers FBI office, the IRS, the state's insurance division and U.S. Customs and Immigration investigated this case, under the name Operation Fraudulent Pain.
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