Wisconsin dentist accused of breaking teeth in fraud scheme

A Wisconsin dentist is accused of damaging his patients’ teeth so that he could bill insurance companies for crown procedures.

Scott Charmoli, 60, of Grafton, was charged Tuesday in federal court with eight counts of health care fraud and two counts of false statements. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Charmoli is accused of falsely telling patients that they needed crowns and then using his drill to break off parts their teeth during the procedure. Charmoli submitted X-rays and photographs of the chipped teeth to insurance companies to obtain coverage for the crowns, the indictment says.

Authorities say Charmoli performed more than $2 million worth of crown procedures between January 2018 and August 2019.

Charmoli’s attorney, Nila Robinson, did not immediately respond to an email message left Thursday by The Associated Press.

An arraignment and plea hearing are scheduled for Dec. 30.

"The Justice Department focuses on prosecuting health care fraud not only to protect health care funds but also to protect patients who entrust their well being to providers," U.S. Attorney Matthew Krueger said in a statement.