The Bay Area is a cradle of environmentalism and a region with a rich trove of health and medical research and resources. In this blog, we’ll report on the deepening understanding of how the places we inhabit and the lifestyles we adopt contribute to our own health and the health of our communities.
Dr. Naim Katiby, a 62-year-old San Ramon resident who practices in San Leandro, was arrested after an undercover operation involving the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, local prosecutors and the state Department of Insurance, officials said.
DEA agents posing as victims of an auto accident visited Katiby several times between November 2008 and January 2009.
During those visits, prosecutors say Katiby agreed to bill a fictitious auto policy for nonexistent injuries, overbilled for treatments provided and even billed for a visit that never occurred.
He also prescribed Vicodin to both undercover agents despite their exhibiting behavior associated with addiction to the drug, and even prescribed the drug on one occasion without ever speaking to or examining one of the patients, according to the district attorney's office.
Katiby pleaded guilty Wednesday to one felony count of filing a false insurance claim. He will be placed on five years of felony probation and pay a fine to be determined by a judge.
In addition, the state Attorney General's Office has the authority to seek a sanction against Katiby's medical license on behalf of the Medical Board of California.
© The Bay Citizen, 2012
