Chiropractor pleads guilty to making false statements under oath

A chiropractor with several clinics in Pierce and King counties has pleaded guilty to making false statements under oath during insurance-related depositions.

Alnoor Haider Bhanji, 43, of Issaquah, pleaded guilty to three counts of false swearing in King County Superior Court on Tuesday.

In depositions in three different lawsuits (in 2007, 2008 and 2010) involving insurers, Bhanji lied under oath. The false statements included:

• claiming that he didn’t know who owned his Federal Way clinic building,

• claiming that his brother was not associated with the chiropractic business in any way,

• and repeatedly denying knowing an individual who had a long history of bringing patients to Dr. Bhanji.

Each count is a gross misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a fine of $5,000.

Sentencing is set for June 17.