Miami Medicare Scam Nets Ten, $12.5M Stolen

MIAMI, FL – Ten individuals are facing federal charges after a brazen $12.5 million Medicare fraud scheme was exposed in South Florida. The indictment, unsealed today, details a network of patient recruiters and company owners who allegedly bilked the system by offering kickbacks for fake home health care services.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer, alongside officials from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HHS-OIG, and the FBI, announced the indictment of Vicente Diaz, 39, Daniel Ocampo, 35, Elsa Capo, 71, Santiago Sepulveda, 79, Marta Curbeco, 67, Margarita Rodriguez, 72, Francisco Maysonet, 67, Pedro Peralta, 69, Amira Galan, 79, and Ana Rosa Santana, 77. All ten, residents of Miami-Dade County with the exception of Peralta, of Hillsborough County, are accused of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as conspiracy to pay and receive bribes and kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program.

The alleged scheme revolved around Marcialed Health Care Corp. and Sacred Health, Inc., two Miami-Dade County companies claiming to provide home health services to Medicare beneficiaries. The indictment alleges that Diaz controlled both companies, with Ocampo serving as an officer at Sacred Health for a period. These men allegedly paid recruiters for beneficiaries willing to falsely claim they received services, allowing Marcialed and Sacred Health to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare.

Beyond the core operation, the indictment details a disturbing pattern of direct bribery. Curbeco, Rodriguez, and Peralta are accused of not only receiving kickbacks but actively soliciting them and recruiting other beneficiaries into the scheme. Capo, Sepulveda, Curbeco, Rodriguez, Maysonet, Peralta, Galan, and Santana, all Medicare beneficiaries, allegedly agreed to pose as patients in exchange for cash, enabling the companies to inflate their billing. Diaz faces nine counts of health care fraud and nineteen counts of paying kickbacks. Ocampo is charged with nine counts of health care fraud and thirteen counts of paying kickbacks. The remaining eight defendants each face one count of health care fraud and various counts of receiving kickbacks.

Federal investigators say the defendants falsified records to support the fraudulent claims, documenting services that were never rendered and were not medically necessary. The indictment paints a picture of systematic abuse of the Medicare system, prioritizing profit over patient care. “This indictment sends a clear message,” stated a source close to the investigation, “We will relentlessly pursue those who exploit federal health care programs for personal gain.”

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, the defendants face significant prison sentences and financial penalties. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges or indictments. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as they become available.