$67 Million Fraud Operation Involved DME Claims
Ten Florida residents were indicted for various crimes involving fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and genetic tests.
Ten Florida residents were charged in an indictment unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida for involvement in a $67 million healthcare fraud, wire fraud, kickback, and money laundering operation that involved submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic tests and durable medical equipment.
Daniel M. Carver, 35, of Coral Springs; Thomas Dougherty, 39, of Royal Palm Beach; and John Paul Gosney Jr., 39, of Parkland, the owners and managers of independent clinical laboratories and marketing companies, were each charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks and bribes, paying and receiving kickbacks and bribes, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering offenses, according to the Department of Justice.
Galina Rozenberg, 39, and Michael Rozenberg, 58, both of Hollywood, were arrested on Feb. 6, attempting to board a flight to Moscow. The DOJ charged each with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Galina Rozenberg was also charged with additional money laundering offenses.
Louis Carver, 30, of Delray Beach; Timothy Richardson, 29, of Lantana; Ethan Macier, 22, of Coral Springs; and Jose Goyos, 35, of West Palm Beach were each charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering offenses. Ashley Cigarroa, 29, of North Lauderdale was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and committing healthcare fraud.
The indictment alleges that, between January 2020 and July 2021, the defendants referred Medicare beneficiaries for medically unnecessary genetic tests and DME. In exchange for doctors’ orders for such tests and equipment, the defendants allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies. The indictment further alleges that the defendants falsified Medicare enrollment forms to conceal the true owners and managers of certain laboratories, and submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.
The defendants face potentially stiff penalties if they are convicted of the charges alleged in the indictment:
- Federal charges for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering are each punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
- Healthcare fraud and anti-kickback violations are each punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
- Conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The HHS-OIG Miami Region and FBI’s Miami Field Office investigated the case.