Two Illinois doctors and a billing employee were indicted on federal health care fraud charges, accused of submitting false claims of more than $1 million to obtain payments from insurers for services never provided and for inflating claims for work they did perform.

Darwin Minnis, 54, of West Chicago, Ill., a chiropractor, faces 18 counts of health care fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. Minnis owned and operated the Spine and Joint Rehabilitation Center from at least 1998 through 2009. Physician Dr. Jacob Salomon, 63, worked at the clinic from July 2004 to September 2007. Gary Strauss, 31, a biller and claims processor, employed between 2003 and 2007.

Both Salomon and Strauss are residents of Chicago and face one count of health care fraud.

Officials, in their indictment, say Strauss signed false documents and Minnis forged doctors’ signatures on documents supporting the false claims. Most of the clinic’s clients were U.S. Postal Service employees who were eligible for benefits from the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Program.

The indictment further indicates that the defendants and others intentionally created and submitted false claims and information to the federal workers’ compensation office and other health care insurers to obtain payments. The alleged false claims and information related to patients’ work-related injuries, including medical, diagnostic and physical therapy services never provided or provided at an inflated cost.

Minnis also allegedly told patients that he was qualified to prepare impairment rating reports and to order and provide testing and treatment, when he was not. He also failed to disclose that workers’ compensation would not pay for services provided by a chiropractor except in very limited circumstances, according to the charges.

Salamon and others allegedly signed false documents indicating that Salomon or another licensed physician examined or treated patients and both doctors and others prepared false progress notes and fee sheets indicating that patient services were rendered when they were not.

Strauss is accused of forging physicians’ signatures on claims forms certifying they were accurate, when he knew they were not, and for preparing false itemized billing statements in personal injury cases to support payments to the clinic and patients.

Each count of health care fraud against the three carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.