Feds link former Ventura doctor to kickbacks, unnecessary surgeries; "I always scoff at someone I'm sitting with that says well it's really not about the money, ah b**sh**, it is all about the money. We make a lot of money," Pike is recorded saying at the meeting, according to the federal complaint.

For years, a small group of Southern California doctors performed unnecessary or overly extensive spinal surgeries, which were then fraudulently billed to Medicare, according to a complaint recently filed by the U.S. Attorney's office.

The Justice Department is suing former Ventura surgeon Dr. Aria Sabit  and three investors in a spinal implant distribution company, attempting to recover money Medicare paid for what government lawyers say were unnecessary or excessive surgeries encouraged by the defendants.
The civil complaint (PDF), filed Sept. 8, claims  Adam Pike and Bret Berry are the founders of  Reliance Medical Systems, an implant company, and subsequently at least 12 physician-owned distributorships (PODs}.  John Hoffman was an investor in one of the Reliance PODs.
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