HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.–LAWFUEL -The Law Newswire –Al MacKenzie, Deputy District Attorney in Los Angeles County, has been recognized as “Prosecutor of the Year” by Llorente SIU™, a leading private-sector insurance fraud investigation firm. The award is given annually to a prosecutor who does an extraordinary job of fighting insurance fraud.
Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley attended the event, along with the entire Healthcare Fraud Division of the DA’s office. Members of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department were on hand as well, as were representatives from Medicare and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
“Al MacKenzie has gone above and beyond the call of duty in his service to us as a company, to the victims we represent, and to the community as a whole,” said Llorente President and Chief Executive Officer Kristen Llorente in presenting the award.
Among his efforts, MacKenzie established a Fraud Interdiction Program in Los Angeles to prosecute doctors and other healthcare providers who are suspected of insurance fraud. Under the program, suspects are charged with tax evasion, which typically is faster and easier to prove than medical fraud. Because those who conduct insurance fraud rarely report their illegal earnings, they frequently are in violation of the federal tax code.
This strategy has been recognized as a best practice and has captured attention in neighboring counties. In addition, at Llorente SIU’s request, MacKenzie shared the program with the Supervising Deputy Attorney General and others in Hawaii, where a similar program is now underway.
The stakes are high: Insurance fraud costs Americans at least $80 billion per year, or nearly $950 for each family, according to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.
“Al MacKenzie has demonstrated a genuine spirit of cooperation and willingness to help, as well as an innovative approach to fighting fraud,” said Llorente. “Together we are working toward a common objective: to expose and reduce insurance fraud.”
About Llorente SIU
Llorente SIU is the only company that specializes solely in Contract SIU (Special Investigative Unit) services for U.S. insurance carriers. Companies use contract SIU services to determine if an insurance claim may be fraudulent and, if it’s prosecutable, allow Llorente SIU to present the claim to law enforcement. Llorente SIU handles all lines of insurance — with a specialty in worker’s compensation coverage — and offers full regulatory compliance services for those states with compliance requirements. Llorente SIU is confident in its guarantee that “companies that partner with the firm will be in compliance with all applicable regulations and statutes.”
