Margarita Palomino, Medicare Fraud, Florida 2020

A Miami-area woman has been sentenced to 78 months in prison for her role in a $4.65 million Medicare fraud scheme.

Margarita Palomino, 54, of Homestead, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez of the Southern District of Florida.

Palomino pleaded guilty on October 10, 2018, to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.

As part of her guilty plea, Palomino admitted that from approximately January 2010 through approximately January 2014, she accepted kickbacks in return for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom did not need or qualify for home health services, to act as patients at three agencies: Sunshine Home Health Services Inc., Empire Home Health Agency Inc., and Mildred & Marce Home Health Care Services Inc.

Palomino—who was a physician in Cuba but never licensed in the United States—further admitted that she performed home health care nursing visits and prepared related medical records as if she were a licensed medical professional.

Palomino was ordered to pay $4,658,241.00 in restitution and to forfeit $186,650.50.

Palomino was charged along with Norma Zayas, 29, of Miami, in an indictment returned on June 7, 2018. Zayas pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/miami-area-woman-sentenced-over-six-years-prison-role-465-million-medicare-fraud-scheme