VITAL IMAGING CEO CONVICTED OF
WORK COMP KICKBACK SCHEME

Sam Solakyan, the CEO of Vital Imaging Inc. was convicted on July 2nd of twelve felony counts related to his $250 million workers' compensation kickback scheme to pay physicians for referring patients to his imaging centers from mid-2013 to November 2016. According to the US Attorney's Office, the financial transactions were concealed through alleged contracts for "marketing", "administrative services", and "scheduling" when the money paid was in actuality bribes for volume-based referrals. Sentencing is set for October 4th with Solakyan facing up to 240 years in federal prison.

Liens of Solakyan's companies which include Vital Imaging Inc., San Diego MRI Institute, and Empire Radiology have been stayed per Labor Code section 4615, and may be dismissed by operation of law in CA should the liens be dismissed or forfeited as part of the federal criminal sentencing in October.

[COMMENT: If the federal court does not dismiss the Solakyan liens, then the A.D. under L.C. 139.21(e)(f) could order a consolidation of the liens to determine their disposition in light of the conviction.]