A federal judge on Friday handed down prison time during sentencing in the Hertel & Brown Physical and Aquatic Therapy health care fraud case.
The first hearing was for the corporation, which has since been dissolved. Aaron Hertel and Michael Brown will each serve one year of probation on the company’s behalf.
The corporation must also forfeit all equipment from the Fairview location and all financial records.
The judge ordered Hertel to spend six years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire and health care fraud. He and the corporation must also pay restitution, which will be determined during a hearing in April.
Brown’s sentencing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Prosecutors say the Erie‑based clinic carried out a long‑running scheme involving fraudulent billing to private insurers and government health care programs. According to court documents, the clinic routinely charged for services that were never provided or were performed without the required supervision.
The case, first filed in 2021, has already resulted in multiple sentences for others connected to the practice. Former co‑owners Aaron Hertel and Michael Brown later pleaded guilty to charges tied to the improper billing practices, admitting their roles in the scheme.