Carson defends relationship with dentist convicted of fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ben Carson is defending his continuing business relationship with a close friend convicted of defrauding insurance companies.

At a campaign stop in South Carolina today, the Republican presidential candidate said he has no regrets over helping Alfonso A. Costa avoid prison time. Carson appeared as a character witness at the 2008 sentencing hearing for the Pittsburgh dentist, who pleaded guilty to health care fraud.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that Carson has invested millions in real-estate deals through a firm run by Costa, whose dentistry license was revoked after his felony conviction. According to financial disclosure forms, Carson and his wife make between $200,000 and $2 million a year from those investments.

In a 2013 book, Carson called for severe penalties for those convicted of health care fraud.