Raymond Earl Vallier, False Statements, Tennessee 2020

A Tennessee man has been convicted of submitting false statements to a COVID-19 relief program, netting him over $100,000 in illicit funds.

Raymond Earl Vallier, 52, of Fayette County, was convicted of two counts of making false statements in connection with a Provider Relief Fund payment of $107,568.03. The funds were part of a federal program aimed at providing financial assistance to medical providers offering care to Americans suffering from COVID-19.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Vallier owned and operated North Delta Hospice and Palliative Services LLC in Southaven, Mississippi, from 2006 until June 2019, when he ceded ownership to Individual 1, who passed away in February 2020.

Despite North Delta Hospice no longer billing Medicare and Medicaid, and not filing a 2020 federal income tax return, Vallier submitted a false and fraudulent attestation on behalf of the company in the name of Individual 1, who was deceased at the time.

The attestation involved certifying that North Delta Hospice provided diagnoses, testing, or care of individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19, and that the company would only use the payment to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

Vallier faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making false statements. His sentencing is scheduled for December 7. He also faces a maximum fine of $250,000.

The Provider Relief Fund is a federal program established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which aims to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.

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