Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, the founder, president, and CEO of SpineFrontier, Inc., was sentenced in federal court for making false statements to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The sentencing took place in Boston, where U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani ordered Chin to serve one year of supervised release, with the first six months under home confinement. In addition to this sentence, Chin must pay a $9,500 fine.
Chin had previously pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of false statements. As part of a related civil settlement, he personally agreed to pay $40,000 while his company KICVentures will pay $855,000.
The case centered on violations of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act. This law requires medical device manufacturers like SpineFrontier to report any payments or transfers of value made to physicians. CMS makes these reports publicly available through its Open Payments website.
According to prosecutors, SpineFrontier offered surgeons opportunities for consulting work related to product development. However, Chin directed employees to report certain payments as consulting fees even when no actual consulting work had been performed. Specifically, on January 19, 2016, a payment of $4,750 was reported as compensation for consulting services that did not occur.
Authorities stated that Chin knew both he and his company were required by law to accurately report all such payments or transfers of value.
“United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today.”
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham R. George, Christopher R. Looney and Mackenzie A. Queenin.
