Forest Park Doctors Are Free Until Sentencing But Face Possible Tax Charges

Four Forest Park Medical Center defendants, including three doctors, will be allowed to remain free pending their sentencing later this year for engaging in a medical bribery and kickback scheme. U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Monday restricted travel for Dr. Michael Rimlawi, Dr. Shawn Henry, Dr. Mrugeshkumar Shah and Iris Forrest during their detention hearings. Last week, Rutherford allowed three others in the Forest Park case to remain on bond while they await sentencing, also with travel restrictions. Sentencing dates have not been scheduled.Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Pfeifle told the judge during Monday's hearings that Rimlawi, Henry and Shah are under a criminal investigation related to taxes. She argued they were a flight risk and had filed a motion to detain them. Pfeifle said Shah allegedly failed to report more than $10 million in income.Shah's attorney, Jim Burnham, disputed that claim during the hearing, saying his client has already paid his back taxes. Attorneys for Rimlawi could not immediately be reached for comment. Henry's attorney declined to immediately provide comment. It's unclear if the tax investigation cited Monday is related to Joe Garza, a Dallas tax attorney whose office was raided in February 2018 by the FBI and IRS. Garza has not been charged with a crime and could not be reached for comment.   Continue reading...