Florida

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October 10, 2014
Miami - Three Florida Residents Are Charged With Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering And Drug Trafficking
Three Miami residents have been charged in a superseding indictment with health care fraud violations stemming from a $23 million Medicare fraud scheme. Two of the defendants are also charged with drug trafficking for submitting fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone and other drugs to pharmacies.

October 2, 2014
Miami - South Florida Doctor And Other Professionals Charged With Health Care Fraud At Biscayne Milieu Health Center, Inc.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Derrick Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General's (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office, announce that Salo Shapiro, 69, a medical doctor, of Broward County, Marlene Cesar, 63, a licensed nurse practitioner, of Allentown, Pennsylvania and former resident of Miami, and Sonia Gallimore, 73, a licensed mental health counselor, of Broward County, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and false statements related to health care matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349, 1347, and 1035.

March 18, 2014
Straw Owner of Clinic Sentenced in Medicare Fraud Scheme
A Florida man who had been the straw owner of a physical therapy rehabilitation facility has been sentenced to serve 30 months in prison for his role in a $28.3 million Medicare fraud scheme. Roberto Fernandez Gonzalez, 63, formerly of southwest Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew in the Middle District of Florida and was ordered to forfeit $446,738 and pay the same amount in restitution. Fernandez pleaded guilty on June 24, 2013, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

March 14, 2014
Medical Clinic Owner Sentenced for Role in Multiple Health Care Fraud Schemes Totaling Over $20 Million
The owner and operator of a Miami medical clinic, Merfi Corp., was sentenced today to serve 108 months in prison for her participation in multiple health care fraud schemes. Isabel Medina, 49, of Miami, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro of the Southern District of Florida. In addition to her prison term, Medina was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $8,437,393 in restitution.

March 11, 2014
Florida Hospital System Agrees to Pay the Government $85 Million to Settle Allegations of Improper Financial Relationships with Referring Physicians
Halifax Hospital Medical Center and Halifax Staffing Inc. (Halifax), a hospital system based in the Daytona Beach, Fla., area, have agreed to pay $85 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to the Medicare program that violated the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, the Justice Department announced today.

February 3, 2014
Leader of $28.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme Pleads Guilty
A Florida man who had been the owner and operator of multiple physical therapy rehabilitation facilities pleaded guilty today for his role in organizing and leading a $28.3 million Medicare fraud scheme involving physical and occupational therapy services. Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III of the Middle District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Paul Wysopal of the FBI’s Tampa Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) region including all of Florida made the announcement.

January 30, 2014
Three Miami Residents Indicted for Alleged Roles in $190 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
Three Miami residents have been indicted for their alleged participation in a $190 million Medicare fraud scheme. Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Office of Investigations Miami Office made the announcement after the indictment was unsealed.