A former operations manager from New York has been sentenced in Boston federal court for his role in a kickback scheme involving medically unnecessary brain scans. Timothy Doyle, 45, of Selden, New York, received a 14-month prison sentence followed by one year of supervised release. In addition to the prison term, Doyle was ordered to pay $27,225,434 in restitution and forfeit $1,102,725.
Doyle pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. According to prosecutors, between June 2013 and September 2020, Doyle worked with others—including two managers at a mobile medical diagnostics company—to pay doctors illegal kickbacks. These payments were made in exchange for ordering transcranial doppler (TCD) scans that were not medically necessary. TCD scans are used to measure blood flow in parts of the brain.
Authorities stated that the group disguised the kickbacks as legitimate rental and administrative service agreements with doctors’ offices. These contracts claimed to compensate physicians for use of space and administrative resources based on fair market value but actually served as cover for payments tied directly to the number of referrals.
The fraudulent scheme led to approximately $70.6 million in false claims being submitted to Medicare. Of that amount, Medicare paid about $27.2 million to the diagnostics company involved.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said: “The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Foley along with officials from several federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, FBI Boston Division, IRS Criminal Investigation Boston Field Office, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, and Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Northeast Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Queenin prosecuted the case.