Dr. Gary Marder Charged with Obstruction of a Federal Criminal Investigation and Health Care Fraud Scheme

Gary L. Marder, D.O., 60, a physician residing in Palm Beach County and the owner and operator of the Allergy, Dermatology & Skin Cancer Centers in Port St. Lucie and Okeechobee, appeared in federal court for his initial appearance on an Information, which charges Dr. Marder with obstruction of a criminal health care investigation and health care fraud.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Timothy R. Langan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Region, John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, Patrick L. Fletcher, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, Inspector General (RRB-OIG), and Scott Rezendes, Special Agent in Charge, United States Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General (OPM-OIG), made the announcement.

According to the Information, Dr. Marder is charged with obstructing the investigation of federal health care fraud by delivering falsified and altered patient files that had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury and delivered to a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Dr. Marder is also charged with having submitted approximately $350,000 in false claims for the services of a medical physicist to health care benefits programs. 

If convicted, Dr. Marder faces a possible maximum statutory sentence of five years’ imprisonment for obstruction of a criminal health care investigation; and, ten years’ imprisonment for health care fraud.

At Dr. Marder’s initial appearance the Magistrate Judge released Dr. Marder on bond.  The Magistrate Judge set a $1 million personal surety bond co-signed by Dr. Marder’s wife, surrender of Dr. Marder’s passport, and other standard conditions.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, HHS-OIG, DCIS, RRB-OIG and OPM-OIG.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen L. Cohen.  

An information is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.   

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.