Skip to content

Surrey chiropractor convicted for ICBC fraud, sentenced to $20K fine

ICBC was billed for consults, treatments that never happened
8146914_web1_170815-BPD-M-money
A Surrey chiropractor has been convicted for fraud over $5,000. (KMR Photography/Flickr)

A Surrey chiropractor has been found guilty of billing ICBC for treatments that were never performed.

Dr. Maninder Singh Badyal, owner of Absolute Health and Wellness Clinic, at 15164 Fraser Hwy, was found guilty of committing fraud over $5,000 on June 8.

On Wednesday (Aug. 16) Badyal was sentenced to pay a $10,000 fine and $9,600 in restitution payments.

The investigation into Badyal’s practice began in October 2014, when an ICBC adjuster noticed documentation irregularities with one of his patients. When ICBC investigators looked into the Absolute Health and Wellness Clinic, they discovered more irregular billing patterns.

According to an ICBC press release, evidence was presented in court that showed 11 patients were directed to meet with Badyal, but never went to the clinic for treatment.

ICBC was then billed for the consultations and treatments that the patients said had never occurred.

According to ICBC, anywhere from 10 to 20 per cent of auto insurance claims “contain an element of fraud or exaggeration,” which costs British Columbians up to $600 million a year. ICBC investigators looked into nearly 10,000 suspected fraud cases in 2016, and their work has led to approximately 550 convictions between 2010 and 2015.

Suspicious activities, related to insurance fraud, can be reported to ICBC’s confidential, toll-free tip line at 1-800-661-6844. For more information, visit icbc.com/fraud.