After seven years under DOJ investigation, all original Anti-Kickback charges were dismissed while Dr. Chin agreed to a plea settlement on a single Open Payments reporting issue and now moves forward to advance disruptive spine surgery innovations worldwide.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Kingsley R. Chin today issued the following statement regarding the resolution of his case with the U.S. Department of Justice:
Dr. Chin with lawyers from his defense team immediately after federal anti-kickback allegations were dismissed.
“I agreed to a plea settlement in which I accepted responsibility for directing employees to report a single $4,750 payment on the government’s Sunshine Act website, where physician payments are disclosed. The DOJ alleged this was reported as a consulting fee when the surgeon said no consulting work was performed. I accepted this as a false statement in my role as CEO. When the U.S. Department of Justice brings a case, it is historically rare for defendants to see charges dismissed. As part of the agreement, the government dismissed the original Anti-Kickback charges.
This matter is now resolved. I have learned important lessons and will continue to rely on my compliance team when making decisions involving physician participation. My focus remains on innovation, traveling to proctor physicians during surgeries, and teaching at our Visit, Education and Training (VET) Tours at our headquarters in Florida.”
For additional background, see coverage by Law360 and Becker’s Spine Review.
About Dr. Kingsley R. Chin
Dr. Kingsley R. Chin is the founder and CEO of KIC Ventures, a healthtech private equity investment firm focused on physician-led innovations for outpatient spine surgery. He is a Harvard-trained orthopedic spine surgeon, professor, and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience as a CEO-leader.
He leads the Less Exposure Spine Surgery™ (LESS™) Movement, built on the trademarked REP™ Principles: Restore function, Early treatment, and Preserve anatomy. LESS™ is a physician-led movement supported by interventional pain management doctors, spine surgeons, neurosurgeons, and other specialists worldwide who not only champion its techniques but also invest as owners — making this transformation of spine care truly driven by the medical community itself.
He is launching the AxioMed viscoelastic lumbar disc replacement and scaling LESS Exposure Advanced Spine Technologies™ (LEAST™) through NANISX™ to empower physicians globally with safer, more effective outpatient Interventional Spine Surgery™ (ISSU™) solutions.
SOURCE Dr. Kingsley R. Chin