RICHMOND, Va. (AP)

Posted: 12:18 PM Mar 9, 2011

http://www.whsv.com/virginiaap/headlines/Chiropractors_Money_Laundering_Conviction_Upheld_in_Federal_Court_in_VA_117656108.html

A federal appeals court has affirmed a chiropractor's money laundering conviction in a West Virginia health care fraud case.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond ruled against Ronald L. Halstead Tuesday.

Halstead was a consultant to two fellow chiropractors. All three were convicted in Clarksburg of scamming more than $2.8 million from Medicare and private insurers. Halstead was sentenced to 12 years, seven months in prison for money laundering and health care fraud.

On appeal, Halstead claimed he could not be convicted of both offenses because the transactions supporting them were the same. The appeals court disagreed, ruling that the laundering of the proceeds was distinct from the health care fraud itself.