Tampa, FL – The grim reaper of the healthcare system, Lino Mallari Gutierrez, a/k/a ‘Joe Gutierrez,’ (59, Palm City), has been sentenced to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for his role in an $11 million Medicare fraud scheme. This despicable conman was ordered to cough up over $5.6 million in restitution.
According to court documents and testimony, Gutierrez masterminded a six-month heist from October 2018 to April 2019. He and his cronies set up sham companies that peddled braces to Medicare beneficiaries who didn’t want or need them, all financed by the sleazy practice of paying kickbacks. The proceeds were then laundered to keep the government in the dark.
But Gutierrez’s scheme was no mere fly-by-night operation. On April 9, 2019, he and his ilk were targeted in ‘Operation Brace Yourself,’ a nationwide crackdown on healthcare fraud. Gutierrez was in the process of establishing six more DME companies when law enforcement struck. His plot to bilk taxpayers out of over $10 million was thwarted.
“This sentencing underscores HHS-OIG’s commitment to protecting patients and taxpayers from fraudulent schemes that exploit our health care system and are motivated by pure greed,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Lynch with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations that individuals and entities are profiting from deceiving and abusing federal health care programs.”
“Mr. Gutierrez orchestrated a scheme to cost taxpayers over $10 million,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “When federally funded healthcare systems are cheated, we ALL pay the price.”
This case was investigated by the HHS-OIG and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Peresie and Trial Attorney Margaret Mortimer of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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