Dr. Antonio REYES-VIZCARRONDO, Health Care Fraud, Puerto Rico 2019

Dr. Antonio REYES-VIZCARRONDO, a Puerto Rican doctor, has been charged with health care fraud and conspiracy in a case that has left many stunned. The indictment, which was unsealed on July 31, 2019, alleges that Dr. REYES-VIZCARRONDO enriched himself by submitting or causing to be submitted false and fraudulent claims to health care benefits programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.

According to the indictment, Dr. REYES-VIZCARRONDO submitted and/or caused to be submitted to Medicare and Medicaid a total of 8,159 claims using prohibited medical codes, including prohibited codes for services not rendered, totaling $882,608.91. Dr. REYES-VIZCARRONDO is facing a health care fraud forfeiture allegation of $601,783.47, which constitutes the amount of money Medicare and Medicaid paid the defendant.

The submission of false claims to health care benefit programs is unacceptable and a waste of taxpayer funds, said U.S. Attorney Rosa E. Rodriguez-Vélez. Today's arrest shows the firm commitment of the law enforcement partners to protect public funds and to safeguard the well-being of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Dr. REYES-VIZCARRONDO faces possible sentences of up to 10 years for the health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. This case was investigated by HHS-OIG and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson.

Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Dr. REYES-VIZCARRONDO, a doctor from Puerto Rico, was arrested on July 31, 2019, and charged with health care fraud and conspiracy. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case against Dr. REYES-VIZCARRONDO has left many in the medical community stunned, as the doctor's actions are seen as a betrayal of the trust placed in him by patients and the medical profession as a whole. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity and honesty in the medical field.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/doctor-indicted-and-arrested-health-care-fraud-0