Lombard doctor guilty of defrauding insurance companies

A Lombard dermatologist was found guilty in federal court of defrauding insurance companies by billing cosmetic treatments as precancerous lesions on the skin, officials said.

Robert Kolbusz, 57, who owns and operates Center for Dermatology and Skin Cancer, Ltd., was accused of submitting false claims for more than 800 patients resulting in losses of more than $2.6 million.

He was found guilty Friday of three counts of wire fraud and three counts of mail fraud following a four-week trial in U.S. District Court, according to a news release.

Witnesses testified that between 2003 and 2010, Kolbusz falsely documented patients' records to obtain a payment of $352.40 per treatment of precancerous lesions that were really cosmetic procedures - like one patient who testified that she thought she was only getting her freckles lightened when Kolbusz billed insurance for the treatment of 491 precancerous lesions on her skin.

Kolbusz faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count against him.

He remains free on bond until his sentencing Feb. 13.