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Greenville police chief and ex-wife heading to trial for insurance fraud

Posted at 10:39 PM, Feb 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-07 22:39:47-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Greenville Public Safety Director Mark Reiss is heading to trial for felony health care fraud.

Reiss was bound over to trial Monday. He and his ex-wife Christine are being charged with felony health care fraud after allegations that Christine illegally remained on his health insurance plan after they divorced, claiming that she was married while seeking treatment. She is also awaiting trial at 17th Circuit Court.

Police records obtained by FOX 17 through the Freedom of Information Act included an audio interview between Mark Reiss and a Michigan State Police trooper. In it, Reiss said he didn’t know he had to take Christine off his insurance after they divorced in 2014, claiming that he assumed he had to provide health insurance for her as she wasn’t working at the time, and had no health insurance of her own.

According to a complaint filed by Blue Cross Blue Shield, medical expenses charged by Christine were conservatively reported at around $113,000 but might actually be closer to $130,000.

In the report, Reiss said he never officially asked anyone from the City of Greenville to remove his ex-wife from his insurance. He said it wasn’t “dubious” because he didn’t know he had to.

In a recorded interview with investigators, police are heard telling Reiss his ex-wife was “doctor shopping;” filling prescriptions from as many as seven different doctors in one month. When asked if he had received notifications of these purchases through his e-mail, Reiss told police he got them but couldn’t say if he actually read them.

Greenville City Manager George Bosanic says Mark Reiss’ employment status with Public Safety is being evaluated with legal counsel as a result of Monday’s hearing. He has acted as the public safety director since 2013.

Christine Reiss faces the same felony health care fraud charge as Mark. If convicted, both could face up to 4 years behind bars.