Healthcare Fraud Defense based in Chicago

As an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois, Stephen won convictions in all 17 trials, including eight trials involving healthcare fraud and/or the Anti-Kickback Statute.

In private practice, he has defended clients in 8 trials involving health care fraud and/or the Anti-Kickback Statute, including:

• United States v. Zamora-Quezada et al (acquittal of one fraud count, dismissal of a money-laundering conspiracy count, the complete clearing of three co-defendants)

• United States v. Paulus (acquittal of one fraud count, dismissal of all other counts after a 2023 trial)

• United States v. Fermin (acquittal of all fraud and kickback charges in a case involving
  “telemedicine,” durable medical equipment, and the Anti-Kickback Statute)

• United States v. Ott (acquittal on venue grounds - appeal by the government is pending)

Dr. Richard Paulus, an interventional cardiologist whose case involved aggressive charges, two trials, and several appellate opinions, described Stephen’s role in the second trial as follows:

“My chief counsel requested Stephen to join the defense when she learned of his incisive familiarity with healthcare data analytics. He seamlessly worked his way onto the team as co-counsel in an arena notorious for big egos. They all worked together with passion and superb execution. I thank Stephen for his tremendous contribution. He is truly a nice, ethical guy and projected that to the jury, coupled with his intense passion in his client's defense. After a 5 week trial, we won. As you likely know, this is a most unusual outcome in healthcare fraud, and I am eternally grateful to Stephen for his immense contribution.”

A talk about this case is online here. Reviews by some other former clients are online here. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Stephen also helps doctors and business people who are facing investigations. In one case, Stephen was able to convince the government to drop all felony charges against a doctor in a case involving “telemedicine” and durable medical equipment, thus avoiding a trial that was scheduled for early 2026.

Stephen has also litigated significant legal issues that occur frequently in healthcare fraud cases. In 2025, he and Annie Kastanek were co-counsel on United States v. Sorensen, an Anti-Kickback Statute case that resulted in a Seventh Circuit opinion that was called “pivotal” and “landmark,” that “narrows the scope of the Anti-Kickback Statute,” and that overturned a client’s conviction. Stephen also convinced a district judge to reject an incorrect pattern jury instruction in the Sixth Circuit two years before the Sixth Circuit held that the pattern jury instruction was incorrect.

Unlike many other attorneys, Stephen uses data analytics extensively in his cases, both to show flaws in government investigations and to make points for the defense. He has written and spoken on this subject when he was in the government as well as talks to defense lawyers, including a 2024 article for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Admitted to the bar in New York, Illinois, and California, and admitted to the bars of multiple federal district courts across the country, Stephen also actively contributes to the legal community through his work with the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (Stephen was president for the 2025-26 bar year) and the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter.