Two Temecula women, Gabriella Santibanez and her sister Lisa Hazard, have been sentenced to 15 months in prison for their roles in a massive Medicare fraud scheme.
The scheme, which spanned over five years, involved the owners of mobile phlebotomy company PhlebXpress Inc. billing Medicare for services that were not reimbursable by the program.
According to court documents, between December 1, 2015, and December 1, 2020, Santibanez and Hazard would bill Medicare for overstated mileage traveled by PhlebXpress phlebotomists, resulting in a loss of at least $7.5 million.
In an attempt to circumvent a payment suspension imposed on PhlebXpress in November 2020, the sisters created a new company, Phlebotomy Solutions, and continued to bill Medicare for false services.
Through Phlebotomy Solutions, Santibanez and Hazard would misrepresent the services provided to Medicare patients, claiming they were done by another company when in fact they were provided by PhlebXpress contractors and employees.
The scheme was uncovered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Bickley prosecuting the case.
Santibanez and Hazard were sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay over $7.5 million in restitution, marking a significant victory for law enforcement in the fight against Medicare fraud.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in detecting and preventing Medicare fraud, which can have devastating consequences for the program and its beneficiaries.
Related Federal Cases
- Tamara Yvonne Motley, Medicare Fraud, California 2023 · California
- Sara Jacqueline King, Investor Fraud, California 2023 · Idaho
- Amadou Kane Diallo, Wire Fraud, California 2023 · New Jersey
- Mark Roy Anderson, Wire Fraud, California 2023 · Connecticut
- Jeffrey Harrington, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, California 2024 · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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