A $10.5 million Medicare fraud scheme has landed a south Florida man in prison. Luis Alberto Garcia Perojo, 43, was sentenced to 48 months in prison in connection with a scheme involving physical and occupational therapy services.
Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $6,248,056 in restitution, jointly and severally with his co-conspirators.
According to documents filed in the case, Garcia conspired with others to execute a health care fraud scheme through Renew Therapy Center of Port St. Lucie LLC, a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility that he helped operate.
From November 2007 through August 2009, Renew Therapy submitted approximately $10,549,361 in fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Medicare for therapy services that were not legitimately prescribed and not legitimately provided to Medicare beneficiaries.
As a result of those fraudulent claims, Medicare deposited approximately $6,248,056 into a Renew Therapy bank account. The fraud proceeds in that account were subsequently disbursed to various entities, including $1,847,222 to Ariguanabo Investment Group Inc. and IRE Diagnostic Center Inc.
Garcia was President of Ariguanabo Investment Group and had authority over bank accounts for Ariguanabo Investment Group and IRE Diagnostic Center, both of which were shell companies. Garcia and others used this money from Renew Therapy for, among other purposes, paying kickbacks to obtain Medicare beneficiary identifying information that was used in Renew Therapy’s fraudulent reimbursement claims.
This case is being investigated by HHS-OIG and the FBI and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,900 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $6 billion.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Team (HEAT), visit www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
Related Federal Cases
- Iris Mira Probkevitz Accused in South Florida Immigration Fraud Scheme · Florida
- Medicare Scam Lands Florida Man 5 Years · New York
- Miami Clinic Owner Pleads Guilty to $5.3M HIV Fraud Scheme · Alabama
- Miami Clinic Owners Face Guilty Pleas in $5.3M Medicare Fraud Scam · Alabama
- Miami Clinic Execs Guilty in $5.3M Medicare Fraud Scam · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News