Former Fugitive Doctor in U.S. Custody, Facing Fraud

A doctor who spent a dozen years on the run from federal fraud charges in Illinois has been returned to the United States from Peru.

Sixty-five-year-old Dr. Juan Rios was arraigned in federal court in East St. Louis.

That’s where the former Florissant, Mo., resident is accused of billing insurance companies more than $1 million for services never rendered. He’s also accused of fraudulently claiming total disability insurance proceeds, using a Social Security number that wasn’t his, and failing to appear at his first arraignment in 1999.

Rios originally was released in November 1999 on $3.5 million bail, but he skipped his arraignment the next month and became a fugitive.

He had medical offices in Collinsville and Bethalto.

Rios’ attorney declined to comment.