Judge orders $250,000 bond

Sober home owner accused in fraud

A sober home owner accused of defrauding health insurers and cooperating in a scheme that exploited patients was ordered on house arrest by a federal judge Wednesday.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James Hopkins approved a $250,000 bond and electronic monitoring for Fransesia Davis, who owns Total Recovery Sopatients, ber Living LLC and was an employee at Reflections treatment center, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Davis is one of six people charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

The arrests are part of a federal investigation that targeted sober homes and drug-treatment centers founded by Kenneth Chatman, 46, of Boynton Beach, Michael Bonds, 45, of Delray Beach, and Davis, 44, of Lake Worth.

The businesses offered illegal kickbacks, coerced residents into prostitution, threatened violence against and submitted urine and saliva for screening even when no medical need existed, federal investigators allege.

Chatman, Bonds and Davis founded several sober homes, including Stay'n Alive Inc., Redemption Sober House Inc., Total Recovery Sober Living LLC and an unnamed facility at 962 West 43rd St. in West Palm Beach, according to the federal complaint.

Davis was a house manager at a female-only sober home where residents were locked inside with the

windows screwed down, according to the complaint. Investigators said Davis told residents that Chatman would not let them leave.

The complaint also alleges that Davis allowed residents to use drugs and used her own saliva to fake lab testing for Reflections treatment center. She also received payments for agreeing to be the owner and manger of sober homes that referred patients to Chatman’s treatment centers, according to the complaint.

Davis’ attorney did not immediately return calls for comment.

Investigators said in court last week that they have evidence Chatman received as much as $150,000 in kickbacks per month from related health care businesses.

Chatman will remain jailed without bond while health care fraud charges are pending. Based on the current charges, he faces a maximum of close to 20 years in prison, if convicted, they said.