An alleged scam artist was nabbed by federal officials in a new Medicare fraud case.
In recent years, Miami, Florida, has been plagued by an epidemic of fraud regarding Medicare claims. This has been disturbing for law-abiding citizens, who rely on the solvency of the program for a wide range of personal medical needs.
The woman recently arrested in the current case is said to have played a variety of roles in fraudulent schemes. According to authorities, she went from working as a cleaning lady to being a nurse who was responsible for paying kickbacks to patients. She is alleged to have reported directly to the three people running the scam. The overall scam involved 11 Miami-Dade clinics and resulted in $84 million of taxpayer funds being taken across a few short years.
The false claims that were filed were for everything from HIV-therapy infusion drugs to medical equipment. The defendants went to great length to make sure that each claim appeared to be legitimate and would be approved. Because Medicare officials deal with an extremely high volume of claims, a large number of the fraudulent ones got through, financially benefiting those accused in this case.
When the details of the case finally came to light, many of the ringleaders simply fled the country. Cuba was a favorite destination. However, Federal officials have been working hard to capture as many of the alleged suspects as possible, such as the woman just arrested in this case.
She will be afforded the opportunity to secure representation and get competent legal advice as her case goes forward. She is entitled to a fair trial, as well as the opportunity to appeal an unfavorable verdict.
Medicare fraud cases affect Florida residents each year. Cases of Medicare fraud should be investigated carefully, with those involved represented by capable attorneys who can bring all relevant facts to light.
Source: Miami Herald, “FBI tracking down Medicare fraud fugitives from South Florida” Jay Weaver, Nov. 02, 2013
