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LOS ANGELES, Calif. — In a lawsuit he has filed, a former Los Angeles Planned Parenthood executive is alleging the organization defrauded taxpayers of more than $180 million.
Victor Gonzalez, who served as vice president for finance and administration for the Los Angeles affiliate of Planned Parenthood, said that when he attempted to bring the illegalities he discovered to his superiors, he was fired from his job.
The fraud transpired, according to Gonzalez, when Planned Parenthood overcharged the state hundreds of millions of dollars on birth control, Life News reported. The suit maintains that Planned Parenthood charged the state almost $12 for the birth control pills that other agencies were billing at between $8 and $9.
The suit was filed in 2005, but was only recently made public. According to an article published in the California Catholic Daily, the suit alleges that affiliates of the nation’s largest abortion provider “knowingly engaged in a criminal plot to fleece state and federal taxpayers out of more than $180 million over the course of at least six years."
Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, said he believes the allegations are part of larger issues nationwide.
"In light of this new revelation that Planned Parenthood could be committing financial fraud that has cost taxpayers over $180 million, Operation Rescue renews its call for a federal investigation and a halt to funding of Planned Parenthood affiliates across the nation," he said in a news release. "In order to receive federal tax dollars, groups must comply with all state and federal laws. That appears not to be the case in California and in other states, such as Kansas. We have again contacted elected representatives in California and Kansas, asking for their attention to this urgent matter."
According to the Los Angeles Times, the state exonerated Planned Parenthood, saying the organization was given conflicting billing information from state officials. The suit will progress, however, because Gonzalez is challenging his termination.
"Contrary to their national reputation as a prominent charity organization and as a healthcare provider for reproductive services, there is probable cause to believe Planned Parenthood's ... California affiliates have systematically engaged in fraudulent overbilling against government funded programs," the lawsuit said.
Newman said Planned Parenthood needs to be investigated and held accountable for its business practices.
"There are increasing reports of alleged illegalities at Planned Parenthood organizations that are surfacing across the nation," he said. "Where there's smoke, there's fire. There are far too many credible allegations to dismiss them as rumor. When Planned Parenthood vice presidents start blowing the whistle, it's time to listen and take action."
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