On Monday, Dr. Rainna Furnari Brazil, 57, of Sylvan Lake, pled guilty to eight felony counts under a delayed sentence, in the 6th Circuit Court in Oakland County, on charges stemming from a fraudulent disability insurance claim and subsequent years of receiving fraudulent payments, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Brazil, a licensed osteopathic physician, applied for and received disability insurance payments from the Unum Life Insurance Company of America. She subsequently continued working as a physician while receiving over $400,000 in disability insurance payments from 2017 through 2021, contrary to the terms of her insurance policy.
Brazil lied repeatedly to the insurance company, denying that she had been working as a physician for compensation.?
This matter was referred to the Department of Attorney General by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Fraud Investigation Unit.
Brazil pled guilty to the following eight felonies under an 11-month delayed sentence:
• Three counts of False Pretenses – $100,000 or More, a felony punishable by 20 years and/or a fine of $35,000.
• Two counts of False Pretenses ? $20,000 or More But Less Than $50,000, a felony punishable by 15 years and/or a fine of $15,000.
• Two counts of Taxes – Failure to File, a felony punishable by 5 years and/or a fine of $5,000.
• One count of Insurance Fraud, a felony punishable by four years and/or a fine of $50,000.
As a condition of the plea agreement, Brazil agreed to pay a total of $458,962 in restitution. This restitution includes $424,120 for Unum and $34,842 for Treasury.
Brazil paid $50,000 toward the restitution total at the time of the plea.
If Brazil pays an additional $100,000 toward restitution, for a total of $150,000, during the 11-month delayed sentence, the People have agreed that Brazil will be sentenced on one count of Taxes – Failure to File and one count of False Pretenses ? $20,000 or More But Less Than $50,000, with the remaining charges dismissed, and she will serve no more than one year in jail. If Brazil pays all remaining restitution during the delayed sentence, the People have agreed that Brazil will be sentenced on one count of False Pretenses ? $20,000 or More But Less Than $50,000, that the remaining charges will be dismissed, and the minimum sentencing guideline range will be 0 to 17 months. However, if Brazil fails to pay at least $100,000 toward restitution during the delayed sentence, she will be sentenced on all charges.
"I commend the Department of Insurance and Financial Services for their diligence in identifying this insurance fraud case and referring it to my office,” Nessel said.
“Fraudulent activities can harm legitimate claimants, and I am pleased that we were able to secure a just resolution in this matter. My department remains committed to holding accountable those who break the law.”
“DIFS is to committed protecting consumers from insurance fraud,” said DIFS Director Anita Fox. "Insurance fraud raises costs for all Michiganders, and we will continue to work with the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute those who abuse the system for personal gain.”
The DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit investigates criminal and fraudulent activity related to the insurance and financial markets and works with the Attorney General and other law enforcement to prosecute these crimes. Suspected insurance fraud can be reported to DIFS safely, easily and, in most cases, anonymously by calling 877-999-6442 or online by visiting DIFS' website.
Brazil will be sentenced on November 25 at 10 a.m. before Judge David M. Cohen of the 6th Circuit Court.
Brazil, a licensed osteopathic physician, applied for and received disability insurance payments from the Unum Life Insurance Company of America. She subsequently continued working as a physician while receiving over $400,000 in disability insurance payments from 2017 through 2021, contrary to the terms of her insurance policy.
Brazil lied repeatedly to the insurance company, denying that she had been working as a physician for compensation.?
This matter was referred to the Department of Attorney General by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Fraud Investigation Unit.
Brazil pled guilty to the following eight felonies under an 11-month delayed sentence:
• Three counts of False Pretenses – $100,000 or More, a felony punishable by 20 years and/or a fine of $35,000.
• Two counts of False Pretenses ? $20,000 or More But Less Than $50,000, a felony punishable by 15 years and/or a fine of $15,000.
• Two counts of Taxes – Failure to File, a felony punishable by 5 years and/or a fine of $5,000.
• One count of Insurance Fraud, a felony punishable by four years and/or a fine of $50,000.
As a condition of the plea agreement, Brazil agreed to pay a total of $458,962 in restitution. This restitution includes $424,120 for Unum and $34,842 for Treasury.
Brazil paid $50,000 toward the restitution total at the time of the plea.
If Brazil pays an additional $100,000 toward restitution, for a total of $150,000, during the 11-month delayed sentence, the People have agreed that Brazil will be sentenced on one count of Taxes – Failure to File and one count of False Pretenses ? $20,000 or More But Less Than $50,000, with the remaining charges dismissed, and she will serve no more than one year in jail. If Brazil pays all remaining restitution during the delayed sentence, the People have agreed that Brazil will be sentenced on one count of False Pretenses ? $20,000 or More But Less Than $50,000, that the remaining charges will be dismissed, and the minimum sentencing guideline range will be 0 to 17 months. However, if Brazil fails to pay at least $100,000 toward restitution during the delayed sentence, she will be sentenced on all charges.
"I commend the Department of Insurance and Financial Services for their diligence in identifying this insurance fraud case and referring it to my office,” Nessel said.
“Fraudulent activities can harm legitimate claimants, and I am pleased that we were able to secure a just resolution in this matter. My department remains committed to holding accountable those who break the law.”
“DIFS is to committed protecting consumers from insurance fraud,” said DIFS Director Anita Fox. "Insurance fraud raises costs for all Michiganders, and we will continue to work with the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute those who abuse the system for personal gain.”
The DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit investigates criminal and fraudulent activity related to the insurance and financial markets and works with the Attorney General and other law enforcement to prosecute these crimes. Suspected insurance fraud can be reported to DIFS safely, easily and, in most cases, anonymously by calling 877-999-6442 or online by visiting DIFS' website.
Brazil will be sentenced on November 25 at 10 a.m. before Judge David M. Cohen of the 6th Circuit Court.
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