CHIPLEY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, a physical therapy practice based in Chipley has agreed to pay more than $750,000 to resolve allegations that it knowingly violated the False Claims Act.
The settlement involves two connected businesses associated with Ruben Laurel: Chipley Physical Therapy, LLC, and Absolute Physical & Aquatic Therapy.
Chipley Physical Therapy, LLC provides outpatient physical and aquatic therapy services in Chipley, Marianna and Bonifay. The practice is owned by Ruben and Lorrie Laurel.
Absolute Physical & Aquatic Therapy offers physical and occupational therapy services and is partially owned and operated by Ruben Laurel.
Federal prosecutors alleged that the defendants submitted more than 500 false billing claims for therapy services that Lorrie Laurel allegedly performed while vacationing on cruises in Mexico, Jamaica, Aruba and the Bahamas between 2019 and 2024.
Under the False Claims Act, knowingly submitting fraudulent claims to the government results in triple damages and civil penalties. The defendants agreed to settle for $754,722.88.
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