Medicare Grift: Florida Man Caged for 5 Years

⏱ 3 min read

Ted Albin, 53, is trading Florida sunshine for a federal cell after a Manhattan jury slapped him with five years in prison. The charge? A cold-blooded Medicare scam that bled the system for over $12 million. Albin ran the operation from 2016 through April 2021, using his company, Grapevine Professional Services, as the engine for a massive billing fraud. Judge John G. Koeltl delivered the sentence today.

Albin’s scheme wasn’t about legitimate healthcare; it was about pure greed. Grapevine churned out bogus claims for back, knee, wrist, and shoulder braces – stuff patients didn’t need and doctors hadn’t ordered. He even looped in his sister, Erin Foley, to manage multiple Durable Medical Equipment (DME) supply companies used to funnel the fraud. The whole operation ran on grease: illegal kickbacks paid to DME companies for fraudulent prescriptions, many of which were either forged or secured through shady backroom deals.

Year after year, Albin knowingly submitted these corrupted claims to Medicare, collecting over $12 million on total billings exceeding $38 million. It was a systematic rip-off, built on lies and fueled by a blatant disregard for the healthcare system. Federal prosecutors weren’t subtle in their pursuit of a harsh penalty.

“Schemes like this cost every New Yorker,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated, signaling the feds are making an example of Albin and sending a clear message that Medicare fraud will not be tolerated. This wasn’t just about the money; it was about protecting resources for those who legitimately need care. The investigation clearly demonstrated a calculated, prolonged effort to defraud the system, and the sentence reflects that.