Christopher Licata, Health Care Fraud, Florida 2023
A Florida man has pleaded guilty to a $6.9 million health care fraud scheme, exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to bilk Medicare out of millions.
Christopher Licata, 45, of Delray Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud on March 24, 2023.
According to court documents, Licata, the owner of Boca Toxicology LLC (dba Lab Dynamics), bribed patient brokers to refer Medicare beneficiaries and doctors' orders authorizing medically unnecessary genetic testing to his laboratory.
Licata and the patient brokers entered into sham agreements to disguise the true purpose of the payments.
Once the COVID-19 pandemic began, Licata exploited patients' fears of COVID-19 by bundling COVID-19 tests with more expensive, medically unnecessary testing, including respiratory pathogen panel testing and, at times, genetic testing for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and dementia.
In total, Licata caused his laboratory to submit over $6.9 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for these medically unnecessary tests.
Licata is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI's Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI's Miami Field Office and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Jamie de Boer and Dermot Lynch of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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