National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action Results in 193 Defendants Charged and Over $2.75 Billion in False Claims

38 Defendants Charged in the Southern District of Florida

MIAMI - Today, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe announced criminal charges against thirty-eight defendants in connection with alleged health care fraud schemes prosecuted in the Southern District of Florida. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. The charges stem from various schemes to defraud government and private health care benefit programs by submitting false claims for items and services that were not needed and, in many instances, never provided as well as a scheme to unlawfully distribute adulterated and misbranded prescription medications.

“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”

“The results of this coordinated law enforcement action demonstrate that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is committed to combatting health care fraud through the prosecution of those who steal from taxpayer-funded programs, defraud Americans, and compromise our health care system,” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe. “Our Office and law enforcement partners will continue to fight health care fraud by holding those accountable, at all levels of the healthcare industry, who put profits above patient care and exploit patients and our invaluable health care programs.”

The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.

The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District to Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.

The Southern District of Florida, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), FBI, Florida Office of the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). 

“We will not tolerate fraud that preys on patients who need and deserve high quality health care,” said the Honorable Christi A. Grimm, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General. “The hard work of the HHS-OIG team and our outstanding law enforcement partners makes today’s action possible.  We must protect taxpayer dollars and keep Americans safe from harms to their health, privacy, and financial well-being.”

“The numbers speak for themselves – 193 defendants and over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. Health care fraud in South Florida is a large and growing problem. This is why the FBI and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, HHS-OIG and MFCU devote considerable time and resources to investigate, catch, and prosecute those committing this type of fraud,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Field Office. “The law enforcement professionals who unravel these scams are to be commended for their diligence and commitment.  Yet we need the public’s help. If anyone suspects they are a victim of health care fraud please call your local FBI office, the Florida Attorney General, or the HHS-OIG."

“I am proud of our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit’s work to fight fraud through this massive nationwide action, stopping fraudsters who stole billions from healthcare programs, including more than $15 million from Florida Medicaid. We will continue to take a hard stance against criminals looking to exploit taxpayer-funded programs,” stated Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

The following individuals have been charged in the Southern District of Florida:

In U.S. v. Marco Antonio Ramos Izquierdo, et al., Case No. 24-20238-CR-Becerra, Marco Antonio Ramos Izquierdo, 42, of Cuba, Marelys Ruiz Ulloa, 45, of Miami, Fla., Jakeline Canova Cebrian, 58, of Miami, Fla., Roberto Cisneros Cebrian, 53, of Miami, Fla., Jose Antonio Rio Roche, 53, of Miami, Fla., Reiniel Claro Estrada, 42, of Phoenix, Ariz., Maria De Los Angeles Abreu Perez, 37, of Houston, Tex., Nelson Enrique Gonzalez Diaz, 38, of Doral, Fla., Jonathan Jose Martinez Lambrano, 41, of Houston, Tex., Ana Maria Gomez Contreras, 42, of Houston, Tex., Levy Alberto Colina Garcia, 37, of Doral, Fla., and Gloria Guillibeth Diaz Salas, 34, of Doral, Fla., were charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering for their role in distributing the proceeds of fourteen durable medical equipment (DME) companies. According to the indictment, Medicare and Medicaid paid these fourteen companies approximately $17,600,000 as a result of false and fraudulent claims for DME. The indictment details how the DME companies transferred approximately $3,906,649 of the fraud proceeds to shell companies, including those owned by Ramos Izquierdo, Ruiz Ulloa, Canova Cebrian, Cisneros Cebrian, Rio Roche, and Claro Estrada. Those defendants then made cash withdrawals from their shell companies and also wrote checks from the shell companies that received these fraud proceeds to individual check cashers, including individual checks between $4,000 and $9,000 totaling a combined approximate amount of $2,513,381 made out to Abreu Perez, Gonzalez Diaz, Martinez Lambrano, Gomez Contreras, Colina Garcia, and Diaz Salas. HHS-OIG, FBI Miami, USMS and MFCU investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Santiago Garcia Jorge, Case No. 24-20237-CR-Altman, Santiago Garcia Jorge, 49, of Land O’ Lakes, Fla., was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering for his role in distributing the proceeds of a fraudulent DME company. The indictment alleges that in connection with his role as the president and registered agent of Gold Medical Supply Inc., a company that submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid in the approximate amount of $7,498,260 and was paid approximately $1,402,478 by Medicare and Medicaid, Garcia Jorge transferred approximately $1,384,875 of the fraud proceeds to shell companies located in the Southern District of Florida. Garcia Jorge did so by writing approximately $174,990 in checks directly to those shell companies, but also by transferring approximately $1,209,855 to three other Gold Medical bank accounts that he controlled before then transferring them to the same shell companies. HHS-OIG, FBI Miami and MFCU investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Jorge Acosta, Case No. 24-20270-CR-Gayles, Jorge Acosta, 55, of Land O’ Lakes, Fla., was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud various private insurance plans. According to the information, Acosta was a licensed physical therapist who worked at Phoenix Rehab Center Corp., a medical clinic based in Miami. Acosta’s co-conspirators offered and paid kickbacks to patient recruiters in exchange for referring beneficiaries of Administrative Services Only (ASO) corporate insurance plans, held by employers JetBlue Airways and AT&T Inc. and administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), to Phoenix Rehab for various forms of physical therapy treatments that they did not need and in many cases never received. Acosta falsified and backdated claims forms for submission to BCBS that falsely and fraudulently represented that various health care benefits had been provided by Phoenix Rehab to beneficiaries of BCBS and ASO insurance plans managed by BCBS. FBI Miami investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Will J. Rosenzweig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Omar Cabrera Hernandez, Case No. 24-20245-CR-Damian, Omar Cabrera Hernandez, 55, of Miami, Fla., was charged by information with conspiracy to offer and pay health care kickbacks to patients. Hernandez, as the administrator of the clinic Advanced Community Wellness Center, Inc. in Hialeah, Fla., participated in a conspiracy to pay patients illegal kickbacks to attend psychosocial rehabilitation services at the clinic which were then billed to Medicaid. This conduct resulted in an improper benefit of at least $400,597 and submission of claims to Medicaid totaling over approximately $3.5 million. HHS-OIG Miami, FBI Miami and MFCU investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Abraham of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Yordany Rivera Bermudez, Case No. 24-20256-CR-Damian, Yordany Rivera Bermudez, 35, of Ft. Myers, Fla., was charged by indictment with health care fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of nearly $3 million for DME that was never supplied to Medicare beneficiaries and Medicaid recipients. As alleged in the indictment, Rivera Bermudez was the president and operator of Acqualina Health Medical Solutions Inc. (Acqualina), a company located in North Miami, Fla., that purported to provide DME to eligible Medicare and Medicaid recipients. In a ten-month period, Acqualina submitted approximately $2.9 million in allegedly fraudulent health care claims to Medicare and Medicaid for DME that Acqualina never provided, and that Medicare and Medicaid recipients never requested or needed. As a result, Medicare and Medicaid paid approximately $1.2 million to Acqualina. HHS-OIG, FBI Miami and MFCU investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Canzio of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Jorge Luis Pajon Rodriguez, Case No. 24-20260-CR-Williams, Jorge Luis Pajon Rodriguez, 58, of Miami, Fla., was charged by information with conspiracy to offer and pay health care kickbacks to patients in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicaid. As alleged in the information, Pajon Rodriguez, as the owner of the Miami clinic Gables Community Wellness Center, Inc., participated in a conspiracy to pay patients illegal kickbacks to attend psychosocial rehabilitation services at the clinic which were then billed to Medicaid. This conduct resulted in an improper benefit of at least $1,338,184 and approximately $6 million in claims to Medicaid. HHS-OIG Miami, FBI Miami and MFCU investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Abraham of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting it.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Yoan Manuel Sanchez Cardet, et al., Case No. 24-60112-CR-Leibowitz, Yoan Manuel Sanchez Cardet, 34, of Homestead, Fla., and Alain Cabrera Marquez, 48, of Austin, Tex., were charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $3.2 million in Medicare funds. According to the indictment, Sanchez Cardet was involved in arranging the purchase of a DME company, PRNX Medical Supply Corp., that was acquired for the sole purpose of submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare. According to the indictment, Sanchez Cardet was also involved in installing Cabrera Marquez as the sole listed officer of PRNX Medical who signed relevant documents on behalf of the company, in order to conceal the identities of the beneficial owners of the company. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aimee C. Jimenez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Daniel David Espinoza, Case No. 24-60105-CR-Singhal, Daniel David Espinoza, 55, of Parkland, Fla., was charged by information with conspiracy to commit money laundering for allegedly laundering illegal proceeds derived from a health care fraud scheme. According to the information, five DME companies received approximately $5 million from Medicare for the submission of false and fraudulent claims for DME that they did not actually provide and/or was not medically necessary. Espinoza then laundered approximately $3.4 million of those fraud proceeds, primarily through his own company, Danoza Enterprises, and disbursed the proceeds to himself, his family, and others involved in the fraud. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aimee C. Jimenez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Justin Blair and Trevor Blair, Case No. 24-cr-80074-Middlebrooks, Justin Blair, 34, and Trevor Blair, 30, both of Boca Raton, Fla,, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to receive health care kickbacks, solicitation and receipt of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering in connection with an alleged kickback scheme involving a laboratory based in Texas. As alleged in the indictment, Justin Blair and Trevor Blair were partners in PIC Group 21, LLC (PIC Group), a call center that conducted deceptive telemarketing to persuade Medicare beneficiaries and their doctors to order genetic tests. PIC Group allegedly sold signed orders to the lab, which billed Medicare more than $3.5 million based on the orders from PIC Group. PIC Group allegedly received more than $2.5 million in kickbacks and laundered the proceeds through entities controlled by the defendants. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Florida Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Enrique Perez-Paris et al., Case No. 24-cr-20155-Ruiz, Enrique Perez-Paris, 47, of Aventura, Fla.; Diego Sanudo Sanchez Chocron, 47, of Venice, Calif.; Gregory Charles “Milo” Caskey, 57, of San Antonio, Tex.; Omar Palacios, 34, of Miami, Fla.; and Nadir Perez, 26, of Miami, Fla., were charged by superseding indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with an alleged $65 million scheme to bill health care benefit programs, including Medicare and the Health Resources and Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Program, for medically unnecessary and otherwise non-reimbursable COVID-19 and genetic testing. Palacios and Perez were also charged with receipt of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program. As alleged in the superseding indictment, Perez-Paris, Sanchez, and Caskey owned Innovative Genomics, an independent clinical laboratory in San Antonio. Perez-Paris, Sanchez, and Caskey paid kickbacks and bribes to physicians and patient recruiters, including Palacios and Perez, to generate orders for COVID-19 and genetic testing that Innovative Genomics would use to support false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement. The defendants also caused health care benefit programs to be billed for COVID-19 testing that the Food and Drug Administration had not approved for emergency-use authorization. The defendants further caused Medicare to be billed for genetic testing that patients did not need, that was procured by payments made directly to physicians, and that Innovative Genomics did not process. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Reginald Cuyler Jr. of the Florida Strike Force is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Adam Brosius, et al., Case No. 24-cr-20255-Dimitrouleas, Adam Brosius, 59, of Delray Beach, Fla., and Patrick Boyd, 43, and Charles Boyd, 46, both of Easton, Md. were charged by indictment with conspiracy to introduce into interstate commerce adulterated and misbranded drugs and to defraud the United States; introducing into interstate commerce misbranded drugs; conspiracy to traffic in medical products with false documentation; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and wire fraud. As alleged in the indictment, Patrick Boyd and Charles Boyd were the owners of Safe Chain Solutions LLC (Safe Chain), a wholesale distributor of pharmaceutical drugs. Brosius was a part owner of Safe Chain and the owner of Worldwide Pharma Sales Group, Inc., which helped Safe Chain locate suppliers of HIV drugs and pharmacy customers to purchase HIV drugs. According to the indictment, Safe Chain purchased more than $90 million of heavily discounted and diverted prescription drugs, primarily HIV medication, from five black-market suppliers. These diverted HIV drugs were often acquired through unlawful “buyback” schemes, in which previously dispensed bottles of prescription drugs were purchased from patients. The drugs were then resold to Safe Chain with falsified documentation designed to conceal the true source of the medications. After purchasing HIV medication from the black-market suppliers, the defendants sold the diverted drugs to pharmacies throughout the country. Pharmacies then dispensed these diverted HIV medications to unsuspecting patients. At times, patients received bottles labeled as their prescription medication, but the bottles contained a different drug entirely, with one patient passing out and remaining unconscious for 24 hours after taking an anti-psychotic drug thinking it was his prescribed HIV medication. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Market Integrity and Major Frauds Unit and Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Florida Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Delgado of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is assisting with asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Alicia Hiller, Case No. 24-80079-CR-Rosenberg, Alicia Hiller, 45, of Pompano Beach, Fla., was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, and health care fraud, in connection with her role in an unlawful scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting false and fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary DME. As alleged in the indictment, Hiller was the owner of Lifeline Recruiting, Inc. (Lifeline), which she used to pay medical providers to sign prescriptions for DME, even though the providers were not reviewing the beneficiaries’ medical records and were not making an actual assessment of medical necessity. Hiller described these providers as “happy clickers” or “auto-clickers.” Those prescriptions were then used to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for the medically unnecessary DME. As a result of the scheme, Medicare paid more than $40 million on the false and fraudulent claims. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Raymond Beckering III of the National Rapid Response Strike Force is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is assisting with asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Wesley Jackson, Case No. 24-cr-20269-Smith, Wesley Jackson, 28, of Long Island City, N.Y., was charged by information with health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare for over $2.1 million for medically unnecessary orthotic braces, using sham contracts and invoices to disguise the payments. According to the information, Jackson, the owner of a marketing company called Jackson Media LLC, sold doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces to DME suppliers in exchange for kickbacks and bribes. HHS-OIG and MFCU investigated the case.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Florida Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Delgado of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is assisting with asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Ryan Michael Pattrin, Case No. 24-cr-60109-Leibowitz, Ryan Michael Pattrin, 48, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and solicitation and receipt of kickbacks. According to the indictment, Pattrin was one of the owners of Infinity Medical Supply LLC, a DME company that billed Medicare for medically unnecessary DME based on doctors’ orders procured through illegal kickbacks and bribes. The indictment also alleges that Pattrin was one of the owners of National Health Care Advocates LLC, a purported marketing company that referred doctors’ orders for DME to DME companies in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes. The indictment alleges that Pattrin and his co-conspirators caused DME companies, including Infinity, to submit over $7.9 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Andrea Savdie of the Florida Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Michael Cascone, Case No. 24-cr-20243-Singhal, Michael Cascone, 31, of Delray Beach, Fla., was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to the information, Cascone owned two DME companies, Limitless Medical Supplies, LLC and Your Medical Supply Co, LLC, that paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to a purported marketing company in exchange for referring beneficiaries and doctors’ orders for DME that was medically unnecessary and ineligible for reimbursement by Medicare. The information alleges that through Limitless Medical Supplies, LLC and Your Medical Supply Co, LLC, Cascone submitted approximately $3,493,466 in false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement from Medicare. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Andrea Savdie of the Florida Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Angelica Pacheco, Case No. 24-cr-20253-Becerra, Angelica Pacheco, 37, of Hialeah, Fla., was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, and wire fraud in a sober home scheme involving $19.2 million billed to private insurers. Pacheco owned and operated Florida Life Recovery and Rehabilitation LLC (Florida Life) which purportedly provided several levels of outpatient substance abuse care. As alleged in the indictment, Pacheco submitted or caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to private insurers for therapy services that were not provided, or were not provided as billed, and excessive and medically unnecessary urinalyses that were not factored into patient treatment. The indictment further alleges that Pacheco fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) loans on behalf of Florida Life by falsely certifying that the company was not engaged in any illegal activities. In November 2023, Pacheco was elected to the City Council for the City of Hialeah. FBI investigated this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief James Hayes of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Trial Attorney Aisha Schafer Hylton of the Florida Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Smith et al., Case No. 24-cr-20268-Becerra, Deborah Smith, 62, of Hialeah, Fla., and Mabel de la Caridad Rodriguez Brito, 53, of Miami, Fla., were charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $58,000 in Medicare funds. According to the information, Smith and Rodriguez were employees at a medical facility, and sold Medicare patient information in exchange for cash. That patient information was later used to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for durable medical equipment that was never provided and/or was medically unnecessary and ineligible for reimbursement by Medicare. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jessica A. Massey of the Florida Strike Force and Health Care Fraud Unit Assistant Chief Emily Gurskis. Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Raemy Charest-Turken and Jorge Delgado of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida are handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Betscy Kurian, Case No. 24-cr-60114-Singhal, Betscy Kurian, 59, of Coral Springs, Fla., was charged by information with conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances, in connection with a scheme to dispense controlled substances, primarily oxycodone. As alleged in the information, Kurian, a pharmacist, dispensed oxycodone knowing that these prescriptions were not written in the course of professional practice for a legitimate medical purpose. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Florida Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Delgado of the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

In U.S. v. Lianet Sacerio, Case No. 24-20267-CR-Ruiz, Lianet Sacerio, 38, of Miami, Fla., was charged by information with obstruction of criminal investigations of health care offenses. As charged in the information, from March 2022 through March 2023, Sacerio made false representations to law enforcement agents regarding her own knowledge, involvement, and financial interest in health care fraud offenses under investigation. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Egozi and Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster of the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. 

A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

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 at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

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