MONROE, La. – Michael L. Riggins, 61, of West Monroe, Louisiana, has been charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and healthcare fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare.
As alleged in the indictment, Riggins was the owner of Bluewater Healthcare, a durable medical equipment supply company in West Monroe, Louisiana. From 2018 to 2023, Riggins paid for doctors’ orders for pneumatic compression devices, a type of durable medical equipment, and tricked doctors into signing DME orders and certificates of medical necessity in order to bill for the expensive and medically unnecessary DME.
According to the indictment, Riggins submitted over $3.8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for supplying pneumatic compression devices and was reimbursed over $1.8 million.
These charges are part of a two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 147 defendants for their alleged participation in healthcare fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.5 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 $150 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
Riggins was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and healthcare fraud for his role in the alleged scheme.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Healthcare Fraud | White Collar Crime | Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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