Chris Cruz, Healthcare Fraud, Florida 2024

MIAMI, FL – A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale convicted a nursing assistant today for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need.

Christian ‘Chris’ Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.

Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor required the braces.

Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator.

The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.

Cruz was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters, and three counts of structuring. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13 and faces a maximum penalty of 125 years in prison.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant/Respondent: Christian ‘Chris’ Cruz. Exact Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters, and structuring. City and State: Fort Lauderdale, FL. Exact Date: Not specified. Sentence or Outcome: Scheduled to be sentenced on April 13 and faces a maximum penalty of 125 years in prison. Dollar Amounts: $11.4 million.

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