A California man’s scheme to rip off the state’s Medicaid program has finally come to an end. Michael Lee, 42, pleaded guilty to orchestrating a massive $270 million medication reimbursement fraud scheme that left taxpayers footing the bill for unnecessary and unprovided prescription drugs.
The scheme, which ran for 11 months, saw Lee and his co-schemers submit false claims to California’s Medi-Cal program, bilking the system out of over $178 million. The expensive medications, which were medically unnecessary in many cases, were not even provided to the purported recipients.
The Department of Justice has been cracking down on Medicaid fraud, and Lee’s case is just one of several high-profile cases brought to light in recent months. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche praised the efforts of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, saying, “Thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Department, working closely with the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, is supercharging efforts to take down every fraudster and bring them to justice.”
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division added, “The defendant was a repeat fraudster who caused Medi-Cal, a program designed to help those in need, to be billed nearly $270 million for expensive and medically unnecessary medications.”
Lee’s guilty plea is a significant blow to the Medicaid fraud ring, and his sentencing is expected to be a major milestone in the case. With the Department of Justice continuing to crack down on Medicaid fraud, it’s clear that those who seek to exploit the system will be brought to justice.
The case against Lee is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of Medicaid fraud on the American people. As Acting Attorney General Blanche said, “All those ripping off the American people are on notice.”
Source: Department of Justice
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