The top stories on CBS4.com
Jun 24, 2009 12:29 am US/Eastern
I-Team: Medicare Fraud Ring Broken Up In Miami
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Federal officials said on Tuesday they have broken up a Miami-based Medicare fraud ring that covered five states and billed the national system for around $100 million. The group billed Medicare and Medicare Advantage for drugs that patients didn't require. The medications were for patients suffering from cancer, HIV, AIDS, chronic pain, and varicose veins.
The group, which had eight members; Michel De Jesus Huarte, 38, Ramon Fonseca, 45,Vicente Gonzalez, 38, Alyd Dazza, 45, Monika Blacio, 41, Ricco Dazza, 41, Orlin Tamayo Quinonez, 35, and Juan Carralero, 56, used 29 different storefronts in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana.
"This case is remarkable, not only in terms of the amounts stolen from Medicare, but also in terms of its sophistication and geographic breadth. These defendants attempted to steal approximately $100 million from the elderly, blind and disabled by using multiple store-front clinics in five different states and then laundered their profits through local check cashing stores," Acting Miami U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sloman said.
Sloman said the group utilized check cashing stores to turn the Medicare checks into quick cash.
The indictment revealed the group netted around $30 million, the bulk of which the authorities are still looking for. The suspects have been charged with conspiracy to commit Medicare fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.
Two suspects from the group remain at large and may be in Cuba.
If convicted, the defendants face a possible maximum statutory sentence of 10 years' imprisonment on each count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and each count of substantive health care fraud, 10 years imprisonment on each count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and substantive money laundering, and 2 years' imprisonment on each count of aggravated identity theft.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Fight Turns To Shooting In NW Miami-Dade
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
