Published Fri Oct 11 2019 20:10:39 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

by Ian Donnis

Federal authorities have subpoenaed state records involving a Cranston chiropractor who was lined up to get $1 million in the most recent state budget, according to a state official

David Levesque, a spokesman for Rhode Island’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services, said the U.S. Department of Justice requested records related to Dr. Victor Pedro in July. Levesque said the records include medical billing records, internal and external written communications, files and reports.

Levesque said the information request was labeled as a subpoena to appear before a grand jury. The story was first reported by The Providence Journal.

Earlier this week, word emerged that a state grand jury is examining issues related to Mattiello’s re-election campaign in 2016.

There was no immediate comment from Mattiello’s office.

The U.S. Attorney’s office declined comment.

Mattiello has continued to support the alternative therapy practiced by Dr. Pedro, known as cortical integrative therapy, although he supported eliminating the $1 million in funding planned for Dr. Pedro and his practice after it became a controversy earlier this year.

State lawmakers have steered almost $2 million to Dr. Pedro and his practice since 2004, although Medicaid has declined to pay for it and two governors have tried to cut the funding.

The money that had been steered to Dr. Pedro by state lawmakers, over the objections of governors and even though Medicaid would not pay for his therapy, sparked questions about a lack of transparency in the state budget.







