Psychiatrist indicted for $2.1 million fraud scheme

A Cook County grand jury returned an indictment Friday against Soo Tong Park, 57, of Vernon Hills, alleging he defrauded the state of $2.1 million by signing off on medical reports of public aid patients he never saw, or saw only briefly. He also is charged with filing false state income tax returns.

The grand jury indicted Park on two counts of vendor fraud and two counts of theft, both Class 1 felonies punishable by a prison sentence of four to 15 years. He also was charged with two counts of filing fraudulent Illinois income tax returns for the years 2000 and 2001 on income from his arrangement with A. W. Jordan & Associates and Jefferson Professional. Filing a fraudulent return is a Class 4 felony carrying a one to three year prison term.

Illinois Department of Professional Regulations said Monday that Park was licensed in 1983 and was a board certified psychiatrist with no charges pending. Park's telephone number provided to the American Medical Association is no longer in service.