The husband of Sunny Hostin of “The View” has been accused of insurance fraud.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Emmanuel “Manny” Hostin and his practice, Hostin Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, were named in a federal lawsuit in December, Fox News reported.
Manny Hostin and his practice were among approximately 180 defendants named in a major RICO case filed in New York on Dec. 17.
RICO stands for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). This is considered one of the largest RICO cases ever filed in New York.
The Daily Mail first reported Manny Hostin and others were allegedly receiving “kickbacks” for performing surgeries and then fraudulently billing the insurance company that provides coverage for taxi companies such as Lyft and Uber.
“(Manny) Hostin knowingly provided fraudulent medical and other healthcare services, including arthroscopic surgeries,” per the lawsuit.
In a press release American Transit said, “The federal court complaint, filed in the Eastern District of New York, alleges that the defendants sought to take advantage of New York’s no-fault auto insurance laws, which require insurance companies to reimburse their policyholders for the cost of necessary and documented medical care up to $50,000 for personal or private passenger vehicles ($200,000 for taxis and for-hire vehicles in New York City) for injuries arising out of an accident regardless of fault.”
“These substantial possible no-fault recoveries can incentivize providers with ill intent to over-diagnose, over-treat, and over-bill to recover the most money for themselves,” the company continued.
The lawsuit asserts that Manny Hostin was given an “investment” interest in the Empire State Ambulatory Surgery Center and had a “steady stream” of patient referrals in return.
Two of Manny Hostin’s patients mentioned in the lawsuit were allegedly treated in January 2023.
Their treatment followed “low-impact” collisions that caused minimal damage.
The injuries were “no more than soft-tissue injuries.” However, both had arthroscopic surgery.
Manny Hostin’s attorney told The Daily Mail the lawsuit is a “blanket, scattershot, meritless lawsuit by a near-bankrupt insurance carrier.”
“It is meant to intimidate and harass doctors from collecting for care given to American Transit insureds and their passengers,” attorney Daniel Thwaites said. “The real story here is about an insurance carrier abusing the legal system to limit and restrict health care benefits to its insureds and their passengers, and write off its proper obligations.”
Sunny Hostin and her husband have been married since 1998. They have two children.
Many on X didn’t offer much sympathy.
