Tampa, FL – In a stunning display of corruption, 21 individuals were charged in the Middle District of Florida for their alleged participation in various fraud schemes involving health care fraud, distributing and dispensing controlled substances not for a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice, conspiracy to solicit and receive health care kickbacks, and theft of government funds, as part of the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force.
The charges, announced by U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General, A.D. Wright, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Miami Division, John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service-Southeast Field Office, Eric W. Sporre, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division, and Social Security Acting Inspector General Gale Stallworth Stone, involve 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $2 billion in false billings.
Of those charged, 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics. Thirty state Medicaid Fraud Control Units also participated in today’s arrests. In addition, HHS announced today that from July 2017 to the present, it has excluded 2,700 individuals from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federal health care programs, which includes 587 providers excluded for conduct related to opioid diversion and abuse.
“Health care fraud is a betrayal of vulnerable patients, and often it is theft from the taxpayer,” said Attorney General Sessions. “In many cases, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists take advantage of people suffering from drug addiction in order to line their pockets. These are despicable crimes. That’s why this Department of Justice has taken historic new steps to go after fraudsters, including hiring more prosecutors and leveraging the power of data analytics. Today the Department of Justice is announcing the largest health care fraud enforcement action in American history. This is the most fraud, the most defendants, and the most doctors ever charged in a single operation—and we have evidence that our ongoing work has stopped or prevented billions of dollars’ worth of fraud.”
According to the CDC, approximately 115 Americans die every day of an opioid-related overdose. The charges announced today aggressively target schemes billing Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and private insurance companies for medically unnecessary prescription drugs and compounded medications that often were never even purchased and/or distributed to beneficiaries.
“As patients, individuals place great confidence in their healthcare providers to ensure that the treatment and care they receive is delivered at the highest level,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “As taxpayers, our citizens expect that the programs they fund are utilized as they are intended, in a safe and prudent manner, free from fraud and deception. We will continue to work with our partners to protect the integrity of our healthcare system and hold accountable those who would seek to exploit it for their own gain.”
The charges announced today are a significant blow to the healthcare industry, and a major victory for the American people. It is a reminder that the government will not tolerate healthcare fraud and will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the healthcare system.
U.S. officials have announced charges against 601 individuals in a $2 billion healthcare fraud scheme, the largest in U.S. history. The charges involve 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, and 162 defendants, including 76 doctors, were charged for their roles in prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics.
The healthcare industry has been plagued by corruption and abuse, with patients being taken advantage of and taxpayers being robbed of billions of dollars. The charges announced today are a significant step towards protecting the integrity of the healthcare system and holding accountable those who would seek to exploit it for their own gain.
Related Federal Cases
- Adam Parrish, Healthcare Program Fraud, FL, 2023 · Florida
- Orlando Pascual Jr., HIV Treatment Medicare Fraud, Miami FL, 2023 · Florida
- Juan A. Tony Marrero, Medicare Fraud Scheme, Miami FL, 2023 · Florida
- Juan A. Tony Marrero, Medicare Fraud Scheme, Miami FL, 2024 · Florida
- Alton Plunkett, Tax Fraud, New York NY, 2023 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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