Surgeon Convicted of Accepting Bribes to Perform Spinal Procedures

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that a jury convicted a Southern California surgeon of accepting more than $315,000 in bribes and kickbacks for performing spinal surgeries at Pacific Hospital of Long Beach. Dr. David H. Payne, 65, was found guilty Friday following a six-day trial. The jury found him guilty of one count of conspiracy, two counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of use of an interstate facility in the aid of bribery, federal prosecutors said. Michael D. Drobot, the former owner of Pacific Hospital, paid Payne up to $15,000 for each spinal surgery he&...