A federal grand jury in McAllen has indicted cardiologist Fabian Aurignac for healthcare fraud.
Aurignac, formerly of McAllen, was arrested on Monday morning in Austin where he was to scheduled to appear before the Texas Medical Board of Examiners for a hearing regarding the suspension of his medical license.
He is expected to make his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Austin today at 3:00 p.m. but the criminal case will be prosecuted in McAllen.
The eight-count indictment was returned under seal on Oct. 21 but unsealed following his arrest on Monday.
The indictment accuses Aurignac of defrauding the Medicaid and Medicare health care benefit programs by means of false and fraudulent claims in connection with the use of unlicensed, foreign doctors and medical personal and for billing for medical services not rendered.
If convicted, the 45-year-old physician faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The investigation leading to the charges in this case was conducted by the FBI and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Action 4 News first reported that Aurignac was under investigation in February.
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