Two owners of a Miami home health care agency have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a $20 million Medicare fraud scheme. Ariel Rodriguez, 41, and Reynaldo Navarro, 37, were sentenced to 73 months and 74 months in prison, respectively, for their participation in the scheme. They were also ordered to pay $14 million in restitution, joint and several with co-defendants.
The two owners were found guilty of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and were accused of billing Medicare for unnecessary home health care and therapy services. They allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters in return for providing patients to their agency, Serendipity Home Health Inc. The agency purported to provide home health care and physical therapy services to eligible Medicare beneficiaries.
Ariel Rodriguez and Navarro used prescriptions, plans of care, and medical certifications to fraudulently bill Medicare for home health care services, which they knew was in violation of federal criminal laws. They also allegedly falsified patient files to make it appear that Medicare beneficiaries qualified for home health care and therapy services when, in fact, they did not.
As a result of the scheme, Serendipity submitted approximately $20 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, resulting in payments of approximately $14 million. Two co-defendants, Melissa Rodriguez and Ysel Salado, were also sentenced to four years of probation.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, and was brought as a part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The strike force has charged over 1,330 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $4 billion.
Ariel Rodriguez and Navarro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in 2023. They were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke in the Southern District of Florida.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Joseph S. Beemsterboer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The case was supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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