Midwest
Wisconsin dentist found guilty of breaking patients’ teeth so he could fix them in fraud scheme
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A Wisconsin dentist was discovered responsible of healthcare fraud and different prices after he made hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in a scheme by deliberately damaging his sufferers’ tooth and charging them for fixing the injury he brought on, based on federal prosecutors.
Scott Charmoli, 61, was convicted on March 11 of 5 counts of healthcare fraud and two counts of creating false statements associated to healthcare issues, introduced United States Legal professional Richard G. Frohling of the Jap District of Wisconsin.
Charmoli, of Grafton, faces a most of 60 years in jail and is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
DENTIST WARNS WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER USE MOUTHWASH AFTER BRUSHING TEETH
Within the scheme, prosecutors mentioned Charmoli, in 2015, began to aggressively promote sufferers on the necessity for crown procedures, a process the place a tooth-shaped cap is positioned on the broken tooth.
After convincing his sufferers they wanted crowns, prosecutors mentioned Charmoli purposely broke his sufferers’ tooth with a drill through the procedures. He then submitted x-rays and pictures of the broken tooth to insurance coverage corporations to acquire insurance coverage protection for the crowns.
Insurance coverage corporations believed these pictures represented the pre-operative situation of the tooth and paid the claims, prosecutors mentioned.
A affected person, Todd Tedeschi, testified that Charmoli satisfied him to get two crowns executed directly, so he might keep away from having to repeat anesthesia – regardless that Tedeschi believed his tooth had been advantageous.
BOY, 3, DIES AT DENTIST AFTER ‘UNANTICIPATED REACTION TO MEDICINE,’ REPORT SAYS
“It appeared extreme, however I did not know any higher,” Tedeschi mentioned, based on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “He was the skilled. I simply trusted him.”
Charmoli billed over $4.2 million for crown procedures between 2016 and 2019, and he carried out extra crowns than 95% of Wisconsin dentists in every of these years, prosecutors mentioned, citing information from an insurance coverage firm.
Charmoli carried out greater than 700 crown procedures yearly between 2015 and 2019, prosecutors added.
Prosecutors mentioned proof additionally confirmed Charmoli made false statements to dental insurers after they denied preliminary claims from crown protection.
The scheme was revealed after Charmoli offered the apply in 2019. Whereas reviewing recordsdata, the brand new homeowners realized the variety of crown procedures was out of the bizarre.
In December 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Charmoli.
Practically 100 of Charmoli’s former sufferers have additionally sued him for medical malpractice, nevertheless, these instances will not begin till the end result of the federal prosecution, the paper reported.
Charmoli’s license to apply dentistry within the state of Wisconsin has been suspended since February final 12 months. He was first licensed in 1986.
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Milwaukee, WI
Wisconsin holiday gas prices falling as thousands hit the road
MILWAUKEE – Thousands across Wisconsin are expected to hit the road for the holiday. The travel comes at a good time – because GasBuddy experts predict nationwide gas prices will be at their lowest point on Christmas Day since 2020.
At Good Hope and Green Bay roads, Victor Tran is filling up – and it’s not a bad time to do so.
“The gas right now. Very, very good right now. They’re getting lower. Better than they were before,” Trans said.
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According to AAA, the average for a gallon of regular gas in Wisconsin is around $2.82 per gallon. The average in Milwaukee County on Sunday, Dec. 22 was around $2.79. That is lower than Ozaukee County with an average of around $2.93. All those prices are below the $3 per gallon national average.
Patrick De Haan is the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
“It’s the seasonality that’s really been the primary reason for gas prices that have fallen compared to where they were this summer,” De Haan said. “In the last couple of days we have seen a big jump in some parts of Wisconsin ahead of the holiday. That has to do with oil prices jumping up.”
But De Haan believes prices will once again fall in Milwaukee. He suggests waiting until closer to Christmas to fill up.
GasBuddy suggests people always check fuel prices before filling up – especially when crossing the state line.
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“I do think a high number of Americans are likely going to be hitting the road in light of the relatively low gas prices,” De Haan said.
De Haan predicts prices will rise after the cold winter months.
“What goes down eventually will go up in the spring,” De Haan said.
Minneapolis, MN
Business People: Jan Malcolm, Brian Thun added to Blue Cross board
OF NOTE
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Eagan, announced that Jan Malcolm and Brian Thun have joined its board of trustees. Malcolm served as commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Health for three governors over the span of more than 20 years; her initial term on the Blue Cross board ran from 2010 to 2014. Thun serves as senior vice president and chief operating officer for Duluth-based women’s apparel retailer Maurices.
ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS
Midnight Oil and the Imagine Group announced they received Clio Entertainment Awards and the Graphic Design USA Awards. Midnight Oil’s Clio awarded campaigns include: Silver – Netflix’s Leo Dueling Tongue Billboard, Silver – Disney’s Inside Out 2 Billboard, Bronze – Warner Bros’ Godzilla x Kong Billboard; Imagine’s winning projects: Belk Back-to-School Campaign, General Mills National Cereal Day Advent Calendar, Dick’s Sporting Goods Retail Displays, General Mills K-Pop Influencer Box, Soskin’s Hot Sos The Buffalo SturdyStand Display. Midnight Oil is a Los Angeles-based subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Imagine Group.
ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING
Nelson-Rudie & Associates, a New Hope-based engineering consultant, announced it has named Matt Elhadad as president and board chair. Elhadad previously led Nelson-Rudie’s finance, human resources and ESOP domains.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Ameriprise Financial, Minneapolis, announced that Jason Holt, an Ameriprise financial adviser with a practice in Wayzata, has received the 2025 Five Star Wealth Manager award by Five Star Professional, a third-party research firm. … U.S. Bank, Minneapolis, announced Kristy Carstensen as leader of its Global Treasury Management business. Carstensen also will oversee the bank’s prepaid card organization. … Winter & Associates, a St. Paul-based financial services firm, has welcomed fifth-generation family member Shelby Tietel to the firm as associate wealth adviser. Tietel is the daughter of financial adviser, President and Chief Compliance Officer Nicole Winter Tietel.
HEALTH CARE
Cassia, an Edina-based operator of nursing facilities, announced that President and CEO Bob Dahl plans to retire in January 2026. Dahl recently completed 30 years in leadership combined, first at Elim Care, then at Cassia, following the merger with Augustana Care in 2020.
HONORS
The City of Champlin announced that the Elm Creek Restoration and Dam Rehabilitation project, led by the city, was honored with the Environmental Project of the Year award at the 2024 American Public Works Association Conference.
LAW
Nationwide employment law firm Jackson Lewis announced that Gina K. Janeiro has been inducted as a 2024 Fellow to The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Janeiro is managing principal and litigation manager of the firm’s Minneapolis office and is certified as a Labor and Employment Law specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association.
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
UroMems, a development-stage company working on the first smart automated implant to treat stress urinary incontinence, announced the appointment of Rinda Sama to its board of directors. Sama previously was chief operating officer of Axonics prior to its acquisition by Boston Scientific. UroMems is based in France with U.S. headquarters in Minneapolis.
ORGANIZATIONS
The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul, announced its updated board leadership and officers for the 2024-25 calendar year: Bill Keegan, Dem-Con Cos., Board Chair; Jill Bollettieri. Post Consumer Brands, Past Chair; Brooke Lee, Anchor Paper Co., Chair-elect; Angela Heikes, SMSC Gaming Enterprise, continues as treasurer and secretary; board members are: Ashton Boon, Mayo Clinic; Jabari Bush, Jasper Engineering; Brett Edelson, Unitedhealthcare; Valerie Finarty, Medtronic; Ryan Jackson, Schwan’s; Eric Levenhagen, Sun Country Airlines; Julie Pierce, ALLETE, and Shane Zutz, DigiKey.
SERVICES
APi Group Corp., a New Brighton-based parent company whose partners provide safety and equipment services to the construction and energy industries, announced that Chief Financial Officer Kevin Krumm has stepped down from his role to accept another opportunity. David Jackola, current chief financial officer and vice president of transformation at APi International, will assume the interim CFO role.
EMAIL ITEMS to businessnews@pioneerpress.com.
Indianapolis, IN
Colts’ Taylor repents for gaffe with 218-yard day
INDIANAPOLIS — Jonathan Taylor made a lightning-quick jump cut through the hole and saw nothing but daylight ahead.
Once the Indianapolis Colts running back reached the goal line, some 65 yards later, his run was still not complete. Taylor kept going, running into the tunnel that leads to the Colts’ locker room in the southwest corner of Lucas Oil Stadium. It was Taylor’s way of sending a message: This time, he would hold on to the football after arriving at the end zone — something he did not do a week ago.
Taylor reached the end zone two more times Sunday, including a 70-yard scoring run, during his 218-yard performance in the Colts’ historic 38-30 win over the Tennessee Titans. Indianapolis’ offense dominated the line of scrimmage, rushing for a franchise-record 335 yards in a victory that kept the team’s faint playoff hopes alive. The Colts surpassed the previous high established in 1956, nearly three decades before the franchise left Baltimore for the Midwest in 1984.
It was Taylor’s second career 200-yard performance behind only his career-high 253-yard game in the final week of the 2020 season. His most recent performance came on the heels of last Sunday’s game in which Taylor committed a costly miscue, dropping the ball prematurely as he crossed the goal line on a would-be 41-yard run that could’ve given Indianapolis a two-touchdown lead.
The Colts went on to lose the critical matchup, dealing a severe blow to their playoff hopes. Taylor didn’t make the mistake again this week.
“I had already predetermined in my mind that next time, I’m going all the way in the tunnel,” Taylor said Sunday.
In fact, Taylor approached the whole situation with levity. He and backup running back Tyler Goodson planned a bit ahead of the game. After Taylor emerged from the tunnel, Goodson ran up to him and playfully tried to strip the ball, with Taylor keeping a tight grip.
“Just trolling, making the crowd laugh a little bit,” Goodson said.
In reality, there was nothing funny about the way the Colts pushed around the Titans. Tennessee allowed the most rushing yards of any team this season and the second most in Titans/Oilers franchise history. The Colts made no pretense about their intentions, either, at one point running on 12 consecutive plays during three possessions in the second quarter.
“That’s kind of the exciting part,” Taylor said “It’s kind of when you start imposing your will, establishing that line of scrimmage. Those are the types of football games as a running back … you love.”
Tight end Mo Alie-Cox added: “By the end of the game … we were still getting 5 yards a pop. They still couldn’t really stop it. They were calling it, but they couldn’t do nothing about it.”
Then, Alie-Cox relayed a story that unfolded before a particular play.
“It’s hilarious,” he said. “One time, they were like, ‘It’s a screen. Boom.’ And then one of their [defensive] ends was like, ‘Man, they’re about to give it to Jonathan Taylor. He’s about to run for 300 [yards] on us.’ Once he said that, I was like, ‘Yeah, we got him.’”
In light of the rushing success, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson wasn’t asked to do much from the pocket. He completed just 7 of 11 passes for 131 yards. But Richardson was a part of the rushing bonanza, running for a career-high 70 yards.
Now, the Colts hope to finish with wins over the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars in their remaining two games, along with hoping numerous other dominoes fall their way in their bid to make the postseason.
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