OC sober living home owner charged with kickbacks scheme

The owner of a sober living home pleaded not guilty Monday to charges alleging he paid $175,000 in illegal kickbacks to people who referred clients to his facilities in Orange County.

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Scott Raffa, 57, of Newport Beach, entered his plea before a magistrate in federal court in Santa Ana Monday. A trial date was set for June 25 and bond was set at $15,000.

Raffa was arrested Saturday at Los Angeles International Airport, prosecutors said. He was charged in an indictment returned April 10 with a dozen counts of kickbacks for referrals to his business.

Raffa operates Sober Partners Waterfront Recovery Center, Sober Partners Reef House and Sober Partners Beach House.

Raffa is accused of paying people who refer patients to his facilities, which is known as "body brokering," prosecutors said.

Raffa is also accused of setting up sham contracts to disguise the illegal kickbacks, prosecutors said. He allegedly paid out a total of $174,600 in kickbacks, prosecutors alleged.

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