Springfield orthodontist back in practice despite charges
Anne Warfield
without any explanation from the authorities (and at one point, they
refused to say where he was being held).
Rinaldi back in practice despite charges
Orthodontist accused of mail, health-care fraud
By TONY CAPPASSO
STAFF WRITER
Orthodontist Dr. Sergius Rinaldi, the subject of federal court actions
in both Peoria and Springfield, is back in practice.
Rinaldi has reopened his dental offices in Edwardsville and
Springfield, his wife said Monday.
"He's usually in the (Edwardsville) office between 10 a.m. and 6
p.m.," Mrs. Rinaldi said.
Her husband plans to resume practice at his Springfield office as
well, she said. The office is at 850 S. Fourth St., although there was
no indication Monday that it was open yet.
Illinois Department of Professional Regulation spokesman Tony Sanders
said Rinaldi's license is still in good standing, despite the pending
civil and criminal court actions.
"From our standpoint, he still holds an active license," Sanders said.
Calls to both offices, however, revealed that the answering machines
weren't taking messages. The recorded message on the phone at the
Springfield office states simply that the voice mailbox for the number
is full.
The device on the Edwardsville phone number asks callers to leave a
message. When a reporter called the number Monday, however, the phone
disconnected before taking a message.
Rinaldi's troubles stem from appearances before a Peoria federal grand
jury early in 2001. The grand jury demanded records of his care and
billing for orthodontic treatment for children whose work was paid for
by Medicaid, the federal-state program that pays medical and dental
bills for the poor. The grand jury wanted records from 1995-99,
according to a federal indictment of Rinaldi in Springfield in early
December.
The indictment accuses Rinaldi of 10 counts of mail fraud and one
count each of health-care fraud, submitting false documents during an
Illinois Department of Public Aid audit of his practice and attempting
to obstruct a federal investigation of a health-care offense.
If convicted, he could face a maximum prison term of five years and a
fine of up to $250,000 on each of the mail fraud, false statement and
obstruction counts, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for
health-care fraud.
Rinaldi was jailed for several months for civil contempt in 2001 for
his failure to produce the documents demanded by the Peoria grand
jury, according to the indictment.
While Rinaldi may be manning his offices, Public Aid, which runs
Medicaid, has notified him officially of its plans to remove him from
the program.
"A letter from our director was mailed on Dec. 26," Public Aid
spokeswoman Ellen Feldhausen said Monday. "He has 35 days from the
date of the letter to appeal."
In an unrelated case, Sanders confirmed that DPR has lodged a formal
complaint against the license of Rinaldi's son, Dr. Todd Rinaldi. That
complaint is based on the suspension of his Colorado dental license
for mishandling orthodontic cases and for criminal charges, including
criminal assault, in that state.
Todd Rinaldi never revealed these infractions on his application for
Illinois licensure, itself an offense, Sanders said.
Tony Cappasso can be reached at 788-1543 or tony.c...@sj-r.com.
© Copyright 2002, The State Journal-Register
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--
Anne Warfield
indigoace at goodsol period com
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