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A Surrey chiropractor has been ordered to pay nearly $20,000 in fines and restitution after being found guilty of defrauding ICBC.

A B.C. provincial court judge has found Dr. Maninder Singh Badyal was convicted June 8 of committing fraud over $5,000 for billing the insurance corporation for treatments that were never performed.

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ICBC says the investigation into Badyal, owner of Absolute Health and Wellness Clinic in Surrey, began in October 2014 when an adjuster noticed irregularities in the documentation for one patient.

Evidence presented in court showed 11 patients were directed to meet with Badyal, although none of them went to the clinic for chiropractic treatment. ICBC was billed for these initial consultations and subsequent chiropractic treatments that the patients denied to have received.

“We have adjusters trained at looking for red flags and asking questions,” said Chris Fairbridge, manager of ICBC’s special investigation unit. “In this case, it all started with a conversation our adjuster had with a customer about the treatment he was receiving and the customer said he hadn’t been in for any.

“The investigation started there and grew.”

On Wednesday, the judge sentenced Badyal to pay a $10,000 fine and $9,600 in restitution.

ICBC claims insurance fraud costs British Columbians up to $600 million a year.

“It’s an industry estimate that 10 to 20 per cent of claims contain an element of fraud,” said Fairbridge.