Many times, after an extensive investigation has taken place, FBI agents will show up at a particular location, unannounced, in order to arrest one or more persons suspected of committing serious crimes. Allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud are typically prosecuted in federal criminal court. Last September, a showdown between agents and various workers at a local dentist office in Florida resulted from one such investigation.
Federal agents apparently arrived at the dental office in search of a certain man. The man in question apparently fled the area before authorities made contact with him. He allegedly went to Cuba to avoid a possible arrest.
At least 18 others were eventually apprehended in connection with the incident. They stand accused of participating in a fraud scheme that supposedly used pharmacies as fronts to bilk millions of dollars out of Medicare and Medicaid programs. Authorities claim that doctors’ signatures were forged to file claims for medication never prescribed and services never provided.
One agent stated that Medicare and Medicaid fraud operations are becoming commonplace in Florida. If accused of this type of crime, a defendant may greatly benefit by seeking consultation with an attorney who has successfully defended those accused in other high-profile cases. One of the first things an experienced attorney can do is make sure that all charges filed are appropriate to the specific events that have been alleged. On many occasions, it has been determined that the personal rights of a suspect have been violated in the process of an arrest. In those circumstances, the defense lawyer can take action to challenge the prosecution’s evidence against the client.
Source: Miami Herald, “FBI agents bust Miami Medicare ring while some suspects flee to Cuba”, Jay Weaver, Accessed on May 3, 2016
