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$8 Million Miami Health Care Scam Exposed
A shocking health care scam has been uncovered in Miami, with a medical clinic owner and several patient recruiters pleading guilty to a massive $8 million health care fraud scheme.
According to court documents, the defendants worked as patient recruiters for the owners and operators of Flores Home Health, a Miami home health care agency that purported to provide home health and physical therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries.
Lerida Labrada, 59, of Miami, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Mayra Flores, 49, and German Martinez, 36, both of Miami, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and receive health care kickbacks, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The scam involved recruiting patients for Flores Home Health and soliciting and receiving kickbacks and bribes from the owners and operators of the agency in return for allowing them to bill the Medicare program on behalf of the recruited Medicare patients.
From approximately October 2009 through approximately June 2012, Flores Home Health was paid approximately $8 million by Medicare for fraudulent claims for home health services.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG 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 Southern District of Florida.
A sentencing hearing for the defendants has been scheduled for March 14, 2014.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force has charged more than 1,700 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5.5 billion since its inception in March 2007.
RELATED: Vida Med Center and Med-Union Medical Center Hit with $11M Health Care Fraud Charges
RELATED: Vida Med Center, Med-Union Hit with $11M Fraud Charges
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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