A federal jury in Miami has convicted a Florida man and woman for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare by falsely billing over $93 million for home health therapy services that were never provided.
Karel Felipe, 42, from Miami Shores, and Tamara Quicutis, 54, from Hialeah, conspired with others to submit fraudulent bills to Medicare through three home health companies based in Michigan. Their co-conspirators recruited individuals from Cuba to sign Medicare enrollment documents and pose as owners of these home health agencies to conceal their own involvement. Felipe, Quicutis, and their associates used these companies to submit claims for services that were never given, using stolen patient identities. They employed hundreds of shell companies and bank accounts to launder the proceeds of the Medicare fraud, converting the money into cash at ATMs and check cashing stores in the Miami area.
During the trial, a third defendant, Jesus Trujillo, 52, from Miami, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Trujillo managed a group that recruited nominee owners for home health agencies and shell companies and facilitated the conversion of Medicare fraud proceeds into cash.
Felipe and Quicutis were convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. They are set to be sentenced on January 4, 2024, and face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each conspiracy charge. Trujillo is scheduled to be sentenced on December 21 and also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. The sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge, considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG. Trial Attorneys Jamie de Boer, D. Keith Clouser, and Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken for the Southern District of Florida handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program has charged more than 5,000 defendants, collectively billing federal health care programs and private insurers for over $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in collaboration with HHS-OIG, work to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
By FCCT Editorial Team freeslots dinogame telegram营销
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