Beaumont Orthodontist Syler Sentenced in $829K Fraud

BEAUMONT, TEXAS – A 70-year-old Beaumont orthodontist is trading braces for bars after being sentenced to federal prison for a brazen health care fraud scheme. Terrence Ewing Syler, formerly of Syler Orthodontics, was sentenced today to 22 months behind bars, a punishment handed down by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.

The scheme, which ran from January 2007 to October 2012, involved Syler submitting fraudulent claims to Medicaid for palatal expanders that were never provided to his patients. The Department of Justice announced that Syler pleaded guilty on June 18, 2013, to health care fraud. The result? A cool $829,333 in ill-gotten gains.

Syler didn’t just get prison time. Judge Heartfield also ordered him to forfeit a hefty $829,000 and pay a $6,000 fine. The forfeiture includes several bank accounts Syler had conveniently stashed away. This wasn’t a victimless crime; it’s taxpayer money ripped off to line Syler’s pockets.

The Texas Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid), funded jointly by the state and federal governments, provides critical healthcare to low-income individuals. Syler’s actions directly undermined this program, diverting resources from those who legitimately need them. It’s a stark reminder that even seemingly respectable professionals can be driven by greed.

The investigation was a coordinated effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the Texas Office of the Attorney General – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (OAG-MFCU). Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice led the prosecution. They’ve sent a clear message: exploiting the healthcare system will have consequences.

If you have knowledge of health care fraud, don’t stay silent. Report it. The Department of Health and Human Services’ fraud hotline is 1-800-HHS-TIPS (447-8477). Every tip helps to dismantle these schemes and protect vulnerable populations. This case serves as a grim example of how far some will go to cheat the system.