Fernando Mendez, Healthcare Fraud, Texas 2021

Fernando Mendez, a 49-year-old physician assistant from Brownsville, Texas, has been accused of defrauding Medicaid by continuing to practice medicine despite having a suspended medical license.

According to the indictment, Mendez was a physician assistant at CCI Therapy Counseling Centers International. On July 20, 2021, the Texas Medical Board ordered the immediate suspension of Mendez’s physician assistant license, deeming him to be a ‘continuing threat to public welfare.’

However, Mendez allegedly continued to evaluate and treat patients at mental health clinics in Brownsville, Harlingen, and Pharr and billed Medicaid for services he rendered during his suspension.

The indictment further alleges that Mendez attempted to conceal his continued practice of medicine by using identities of other physicians and medical personnel. Specifically, Mendez allegedly created medical records under the identities of other physicians while they were traveling outside of the United States.

Mendez is charged with seven counts of health care fraud for which he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted of any of the four aggravated identity theft charges, he faces another two years, which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. All counts also carry a possible fine of up to $250,000.

Mendez is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald G. Morgan at 9:30 a.m. today. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, Texas Health and Human Services, and Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

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