NASHVILLE (AP) — The former CEO of a Tennessee pain management company has been sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison for his role in a $4 million Medicare kickback scheme.

John Davis, 42, of Franklin, was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Nashville for his conviction on one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and seven counts of violating anti-kickback laws.

Davis, the former CEO of Comprehensive Pain Specialists of Gallatin, also was ordered to forfeit more than $770,000 in kickbacks.

Prosecutors said Davis illegally referred patients to a medical device company in return for the kickbacks. A co-conspirator, medical device company CEO Brenda Montgomery, then used the referrals to submit tainted claims to Medicare.

Davis and Montgomery together pocketed more than $2.9 million in improper reimbursements from Medicare, prosecutors said.

Montgomery is serving the same sentence as Davis on the same charges.