Melissa Moniz, 44, of Marianna, is facing federal charges in a brazen $215,766.68 health care ripoff that spanned nearly a decade. Moniz was arraigned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Tallahassee on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud, capping a years-long scam that exploited trust, public systems, and the billing practices of medical providers.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury and announced by U.S. Attorney Christopher P. Canova, alleges Moniz ran two shell companies—Billing and Collection Services and Billing and Collection Services, LLC (BCS)—that claimed to recover unpaid medical debts. Between 2006 and 2014, she used BCS to falsely bill Gynecology and Obstetrics Associates in Tallahassee for collections work that was never done, pocketing tens of thousands in unearned payments.
But the scheme ran deeper. Moniz allegedly lied her way into a leadership role as director of physician practices at Jackson County Hospital. Once inside, she pushed hospital administrators to hire BCS for collections services—all while concealing she was the owner and sole beneficiary of the company. Every dollar the hospital paid BCS ended up in her pocket, prosecutors say, amounting to a calculated betrayal of public trust.
Over the course of eight years, Moniz is accused of siphoning a total of $215,766.68 from the two health care providers. Investigators say she manipulated invoices, misrepresented performance reports, and maintained a hidden financial pipeline that kept the fraud under the radar—until now.
The case was cracked open through a joint probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen M. Kunz is leading the prosecution ahead of the scheduled trial date of March 13, 2017. If convicted, Moniz could face decades behind bars and massive financial penalties.
As with all federal cases, the indictment is not a finding of guilt. Moniz is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida stresses that all defendants are entitled to a fair trial. Public court records are available through the U.S. District Court website for the Northern District of Florida.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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