MARIETTA - A Marietta couple accused of fraudulently billing health care insurers for $11 million in fake insurance claims has entered into an interim agreement with the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

Chiropractors Andrew Sokol, 41, and Julie Weisberg, 35, have agreed in a signed order dated Wednesday to not enter into an agreement with any health plan or government payor regarding patient services, submit any bill for patient care services to any health insurance plan or government payor, and to only provide patient care services on a cash or credit card basis.

"The Board understands that the Respondent is presumed innocent of the charges contained in the indictment. Moreover, the Board notes that the indictment does not challenge the quality of care provided by Respondent to any patient. However, to allay any concerns of the Board or Respondent's patients due to the existence of the criminal charges, Respondent and the Board agree to enter into this Interim Consent Order during the pendency of the criminal charges," the order states.

Sokol and Weisberg were arraigned on felony fraud charges last month in U.S. District Court in Atlanta. They are accused of billing Blue Cross Blue Shield and other private insurers for millions of dollars in physical therapy services that prosecutors say were never provided. Sokol had owned and operated several Wellness One chiropractic clinics in the Atlanta area, including one at 2727 Canton Road in Marietta. Weisberg was a partner in that business, which prosecutors said was the most profitable of the clinics.

Earlier this month, the Journal reported that the couple is now a franchisee of The Joint Powers Ferry, a clinic at 2022 Powers Ferry Road, near Interstate 285.

Sokol and Weisberg are both licensed chiropractors who provided massages, personal training and chiropractic adjustments, said acting U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. Federal prosecutors estimate a trial to take at least two weeks, though no trial date has been set.

Sokol is charged with one count of conspiracy, 53 counts of health care fraud, three counts of mail fraud and five counts of money laundering. Weisberg will face one count of conspiracy, 24 counts of health care fraud and three counts of mail fraud. The indictment includes a forfeiture provision for their personal property at 3306 Hadleigh Court in Marietta.

Prosecutors allege that from January 2005 to September 2007, the couple employed doctors and physical therapists in order to bill massages as physical therapy, Yates said. The licensed providers did not see a majority of the patients and massage therapists gave the massages, she said.

Sokol also built gyms in the clinics and then billed personal training sessions to insurers as physical therapy, Yates said. The couple apparently targeted MBNA and Bank of America employees because their Blue Cross Blue Shield policies provided generous chiropractic and physical therapy insurance benefits, prosecutors said.