Posted on 10/03/2020 9:17:24 AM PDT by ransomnote
Assistant U. S. Attorney Valerie Chu (619) 546-6750
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 30, 2020
SAN DIEGO – Federal officials today announced a historic nationwide enforcement action involving 345 charged defendants across 51 federal districts, including more than 100 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals located in San Diego and across the country.
These defendants have been charged with submitting more than $6 billion in false and fraudulent claims to federal health care programs and private insurers, including more than $4.5 billion connected to telemedicine, more than $845 million connected to substance abuse treatment facilities, or “sober homes,” and more than $806 million connected to other health care fraud and illegal opioid distribution schemes across the country.
In San Diego, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced charges against defendants in several unrelated cases who collectively attempted to defraud Medicare of nearly $1 billion and Tricare of over $70 million. In addition, some defendants were charged with distributing fentanyl causing deaths in San Diego County.
“These frauds represent a staggering amount of theft to federal health programs, and ultimately the victims are every patient,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute these selfish criminals whose deplorable schemes drive healthcare costs sky high for everyone.” Brewer praised the federal agents and prosecutors who endeavor to expose these fraudsters and protect patients. Prosecutors who worked on these cases include Blanca Quintero, Valerie H. Chu, Mark Pletcher, Kevin Larsen, Josh Green, Drew Galvin, Paul Starita, Dylan Aste and Larry Casper.
“These cases demonstrate our commitment to pursuing medical providers, suppliers and others who insist on placing profits before patients,” said Timothy B. DeFrancesca, Special Agent in Charge, Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in federal healthcare programs and hold accountable people who brazenly steal from the vital programs.”
“The FBI, together with our federal, state, and local partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to uncover and investigate health care fraud, no matter what form it takes,” said Suzanne Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's San Diego Field Office. “Our agents will continue this important work to ensure public and private health care dollars are used as intended, to promote the health and safety of all Americans and safeguard continued access to critical health care services.”
U.S. Attorney Brewer announced the following charges in San Diego as part of the national takedown:
The following cases were included in today’s takedown figures, but have been previously announced by this office:
In addition, in light of the ongoing opioid epidemic and an alarming increase in fentanyl overdose deaths within the Southern District, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to aggressively prosecute those responsible for illegally distributing fentanyl and other opioids that cause death irrespective of the defendant’s place in the chain of distribution of such deadly drugs.
Today’s enforcement actions were led and coordinated by the Criminal Division, Fraud Section’s Health Care Fraud Unit, in conjunction with its Health Care Fraud and Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force program, and its core partners, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, HHS-OIG, FBI, and DEA, as part of the department’s ongoing efforts to combat the devastating effects of health care fraud and the opioid epidemic. The cases announced today are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud and ARPO Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, along with 43 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and other various federal and state law enforcement agencies.
Some of the cases listed above are part of the joint FBI and HHS Operation Rubber Stamp and the 2020 Telemedicine takedown, which was coordinated by The National Rapid Response Strikeforce of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division Fraud Section. The Telemedicine takedown involves charges and guilty pleas in connection with widespread telemedicine schemes involving over $4 billion in false billing. The focus on telemedicine fraud builds on the 2019 telemedicine and durable medical equipment takedown ("Operation Brace Yourself"), which resulted in an estimated cost avoidance of over $1.5 billion in the amount paid by Medicare for orthotic braces in the seventeen months since the takedown, preserving the Medicare trust fund for legitimate medical care. In addition, CMS/CPI separately announced today that it took the largest number of adverse administrative actions resulting from a single administrative health care fraud investigative initiative in history in revoking the Medicare billing privileges of 256 additional medical professionals for their involvement in telemedicine schemes.
For further information about the national takedown, see https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/national-health-care-fraud-and-opioid-takedown-results-charges-against-345-defendants.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 202980-WQH
Charles A. Burruss, 51, San Diego, CA
Ardalaan “Armani” Adams, 33, San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., 1349
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine, or twice the pecuniary gain / loss
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
US. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
DEFENDANTS Case Number 202887-WQH
Anthony Duane Bell Sr., 52, El Cajon, CA
Anthony Duane Bell Jr., 30, Los Angeles, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Pay Kickbacks – Title 18, U.S.C., 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $500,000 fine
Health Care Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., 1347
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $500,000 fine, or twice the pecuniary gain / loss
Unlawful Remuneration – Title 42, U.S.C., 1320d-7b(b)
Maximum penalty: Four years in prison and $500,000 fine, or twice the pecuniary gain / loss
False statement to Government – Title 18, U.S.C., 1001
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
US. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
DEFENDANTS Case Number 18CR432-JLS
Jimmy Collins, 56, Tennessee
Ashley Collins, 34, Tennessee
Kyle Adams, 33, Texas
Daniel Casto, 32, Illinois
Jeremy Syto, 27, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., 1349
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $500,000 fine
Conspiracy to Pay and Receive Illegal Remunerations – Title 18, U.S.C., 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $500,000 fine
Receive Illegal Remunerations – Title 42, U.S.C., 1320a-7b(b)(1)
Maximum penalty: Four years in prison and $500,000 fine
Pay Illegal Remunerations – Title 42, U.S.C., 1320a-7b(b)(2)
Maximum penalty: Four years in prison and $500,000 fine
AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Federal Bureau of Investigation
DEFENDANTS Case Number 18CR432-JLS
Melinda Green, 59, Escondido, CA and Windermere, FL
Ronald Green, 66, Escondido, CA and Windermere, FL
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Pay Kickbacks – Title 18, U.S.C., 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $500,000 fine
Unlawful Remuneration – Title 42, U.S.C., 1320d-7b(b)
Maximum Penalty: Four years in prison and $500,000 fine, or twice the pecuniary gain / loss
AGENCY
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
DEFENDANT Case Number 20CR1222-GPC
Lorenzo Anthony Garcia, 21, Brawley, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance resulting in death or serious bodily injury – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years in prison, Maximum life in prison
AGENCY
Drug Enforcement Administration
DEFENDANT Case Number 20CR2500-LAB
Perry Edward Davis, 44, San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance resulting in death or serious bodily injury – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years in prison, Maximum life in prison
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
El Cajon Police Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Hold the trials in Gitmo. Scum.
Cleaning up obuma world. Music to my ears.
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