WASHINGTON (TIP): An Indian-American doctor in the US has been arrested on charges of receiving kickbacks for referring patients for medical treatment, a March 14 PTI report says.

Neil Sharma, who was arrested on Friday, March 13, faces a maximum potential penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $25,000, and full restitution, prosecutors said.

According to federal charges, Sharma, 34, of Lemont, Illinois, a licensed Illinois physician and the medical director of an Illinois healthcare company, received a kickback of $2,500 in cash, from an individual in return for his referring Medicaid and Medicare patients to the individual’s company for medical treatment.

In February 2015, Sharma offered an individual who owns Company B an additional 500 patients at an increased rate. He also offered to refer to Company B Medicaid and Medicare patients in two new programs Company A planned to implement.

In exchange, Sharma wanted a cash payment immediately and additional cash payments every month after for an unidentified length of time.

He planned to conceal the payments received from the individual by being named the medical director for the individual’s other health care companies not contracted with Company A,

That individual went to the FBI before meeting with Sharma in Rockford on Feb. 27 and giving him $2,500 in cash, according to court documents. The meeting was monitored by federal agents, who witnessed Sharma leaving with the money.