Case Tracker
Welcome to the TyHoward Telehealth Case Tracker, the most comprehensive library of telehealth-related cases and enforcement actions on the Internet.
The Tracker compiles publicly available materials from enforcement actions, both civil and criminal, involving telehealth or telemedicine-related allegations. Regularly updated, the Tracker provides a quick summary of case developments and links to key documents such as indictments, complaints, plea agreements, and judgments.
How to use
The Tracker works like a typical spreadsheet with sort and search functions. Click on a row for expanded information or the links for the source documents. Readers can quickly find cases by subject matter, charges, jurisdiction, and other categories.
Additions and Updates
The Tracker is regularly updated. If you are aware of a telehealth-related enforcement matter not listed, please email thoward@bradley.com
Table Data Key
This is the name of the person or entity named in the enforcement action. When a case involves multiple defendants, each is listed separately.
This is the case number assigned by the court where the case has been brought. Nearly all cases on the Tracker are federal cases in various U.S. District Courts, that is, federal trial courts, across the country.
This identifies the judicial district or other jurisdiction where the case has been brought. Most cases are federal and are heard in one of 94 federal district courts across the country. The abbreviations are in the following format: “State-District.” E.g., The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York is “NY-S”; the District of Montana is “MT”; and the Middle District of Florida is “FL-M.” (For those who want a better understanding of the federal courts’ organization by circuit and district and their history, the Federal Judiciary Center has a wealth of information and interactive maps.)
This is the date that an event occurred. Note that certain filings may have been originally filed under seal, which means they were blocked from public view until later released. Unless otherwise noted, the date listed is the original filing date, even if the document was under seal and not available publicly till a later date.
This is the type of event that occurred. In most cases, the event is hyperlinked to the corresponding document where available. Some common “events” are:
- An “indictment” is the most common way a defendant is charged with a federal crime. It is a written document, prepared by a prosecutor, that sets out the offenses allegedly committed. As required by the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a federal indictment for any felony offense must be presented to a grand jury, a body of citizens that investigates crimes and determines whether there is sufficient cause for a prosecution to begin. If the grand jury finds sufficient cause, they return an indictment or a “true bill,” which becomes the charging document in a case, much as a complaint is in a civil case.
- An “information” is another way a person can be charged with a federal crime, and it is the functional equivalent of an indictment. The key difference is that the defendant must agree to it and waive his or her constitutional right to have a grand jury consider the evidence and determine whether an indictment should be returned against the defendant. A criminal information often is a sign—though not a guarantee—that a defendant is cooperating with the government and may have a plea agreement already worked out.
- A “criminal complaint” is a third type of criminal charging document. Less commonly used in white-collar and fraud cases, complaints are generally used when the prosecution needs to act particularly quickly, such as when a crime is about to occur or a would-be defendant may flee. A complaint includes an affidavit by a law-enforcement agent describing the probable cause that a particular person committed a crime. A judge reviews the affidavit and then, if the judge is satisfied probable cause has been established, will issue an arrest warrant. For felonies in the federal system, a defendant arrested on a criminal complaint must be charged by indictment or information within 30 days.
These are the offenses with which a defendant has been charged. The term “U.S.C.” is a legal abbreviation for “United States Code,” which is the collection of federal laws. Those laws are divided into various titles and further subdivided into chapters and sections. Most, though far from all, federal criminal offenses are in Title 18 of the U.S. Code. As an example, “18 U.S.C. § 1347” is read “Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347.”
The Tracker lists substantive charges only. Most criminal indictments will include other statutory references to forfeiture (e.g., 18 U.S.C. § 982) or aider and abettor liability (18 U.S.C. § 2), which are not listed. Some common charges in telehealth and telemedicine-related cases are:
- Conspiracy, 18 U.S.C. § 371
- Fraud-related conspiracy, 18 U.S.C. § 1349
- Healthcare Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1347
- Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a
- False Statement Regarding Healthcare Matters, 18 U.S.C. § 1035
This is a summary of the allegations or the event listed.
These are abbreviated categories to denote cases involving a particular type issue that may be of interest. The categories currently in use (and subject to change) are:
- PROV: Involving a defendant who is a healthcare provider (e.g., physician, nurse, etc.)
- CMPG: Involving compounding pharmacy
- DME: Involving durable medical equipment (DME)
- CGx: Involving cancer genetic testing
These are explanatory notes about the event, including cross references to related cases where applicable.
This is the name of the person or entity named in the enforcement action. When a case involves multiple defendants, each is listed separately.
This is the case number assigned by the court where the case has been brought. Nearly all cases on the Tracker are federal cases in various U.S. District Courts, that is, federal trial courts, across the country.
This identifies the judicial district or other jurisdiction where the case has been brought. Most cases are federal and are heard in one of 94 federal district courts across the country. The abbreviations are in the following format: “State-District.” E.g., The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York is “NY-S”; the District of Montana is “MT”; and the Middle District of Florida is “FL-M.” (For those who want a better understanding of the federal courts’ organization by circuit and district and their history, the Federal Judiciary Center has a wealth of information and interactive maps.)
This is the date that an event occurred. Note that certain filings can be originally filed under seal, which means they are blocked from public view until later released. Unless otherwise noted, the date listed is the original filing date, even if the document was under seal and not available publicly till a later date.
This is the type of event that occurred. In most cases, the event is hyperlinked to the corresponding document where available. Some common “events” are:
- An “indictment” is the most common way a defendant is charged with a federal crime. It is a written document, prepared by a prosecutor, that sets out the offenses allegedly committed. As required by the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a federal indictment for any felony offense must be presented to a grand jury, a body of citizens that investigates crimes and determines whether there is sufficient cause for a prosecution to begin. If the grand jury finds sufficient cause, they return an indictment or a “true bill,” which becomes the charging document in a case, much as a complaint is in a civil case.
- An “information” is another way a person can be charged with a federal crime, and it is the functional equivalent of an indictment. The key difference is that the defendant must agree to it and waive his or her constitutional right to have a grand jury consider the evidence and determine whether an indictment should be returned against the defendant. A criminal information often is a sign—though not a guarantee—that a defendant is cooperating with the government and may have a plea agreement already worked out.
- A “criminal complaint” is a third type of criminal charging document. Less commonly used in white-collar and fraud cases, complaints are generally used when the prosecution needs to act particularly quickly, such as when a crime is about to occur or a would-be defendant may flee. A complaint includes an affidavit by a law-enforcement agent describing the probable cause that a particular person committed a crime. A judge reviews the affidavit and then, if the judge is satisfied probable cause has been established, will issue an arrest warrant. For felonies in the federal system, a defendant arrested on a criminal complaint must be charged by indictment or information within 30 days.
These are the offenses with which a defendant has been charged. The term “U.S.C.” is a legal abbreviation for “United States Code,” which is the collection of federal laws. Those laws are divided into various titles and further subdivided into chapters and sections. Most, though far from all, federal criminal offenses are in Title 18 of the U.S. Code. As an example, “18 U.S.C. § 1347” is read “Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347.”
The Tracker lists substantive charges only. Most criminal indictments will include other statutory references to forfeiture (e.g., 18 U.S.C. § 982) or aider and abettor liability (18 U.S.C. § 2), which are not listed. Some common charges in telehealth and telemedicine-related cases are:
- Conspiracy, 18 U.S.C. § 371
- Fraud-related conspiracy, 18 U.S.C. § 1349
- Healthcare Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1347
- Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a
- False Statement Regarding Healthcare Matters, 18 U.S.C. § 1035
This is a summary of the allegations or the event listed.
These are abbreviated categories to denote cases involving a particular type issue that may be of interest. The categories currently in use (and subject to change) are:
- PROV: Involving a defendant who is a healthcare provider (e.g., physician, nurse, etc.)
- CMPG: Involving compounding pharmacy
- DME: Involving durable medical equipment (DME)
- CGx: Involving cancer genetic testing
These are explanatory notes about the event, including cross references to related cases where applicable.
If a case in the Tracker has been the subject of a blog post on TyHoward TeleHealth, a link will be available here.
Case Tracker
Defendant | Case | Juris | Date | Event | Charges | Summary of Allegations | Categories | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maltbia, Chykeetra | 19-cr-00209 | AL-S | 27/02/2020 | Superseding Indictment | 21 USC 846 21 USC 841(a)(1) 18 USC 1347 | Maltbia, a Mobile, AL physician, was originally charged in 2019 with a series of Title 21 drug offenses generally related to the overprescribing of opioids. In this superseding indictment, additional charges were added, including several related to alleged ordering of medically unnecessary braces via a telemedince company. After an unnamed company solicited and obtained Medicare beneficiary information, Maltbia would have a phone consultation with beneficiaries and sign a medical-necessity form for a brace. Those signed documents were later sold to a DME supplier who billed Medicare. Maltbia received a flat fee per consultation; she is alleged to have ordered 2,300 braces in a 17-month period. | DME, PROV | |
Flashberg, Darin | 2:19-cr-00209 | CA-C | 04/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC § 371; 42 USC § 1320a-7b(B)(2)(B) | Defendants Flashberg and Jabbor owned or operated multiple DME companies. They paid kickbacks to certain unnamed companies in return for prescriptions and other supporting documents used to bill Medicare for DME. The doctors who issued those documents allegedly did so regardless of medical necessity and without an adequate doctor-patient relationship, often just based on a telephone call. The kickbacks were disguised as marketing services. According to the indictment, CMS had suspended payment to one of the DME companies, Qual Med, based in part on Qual Med’s failure to comply with Medicare’s telemedicine regulations by failing to use interactive video or audio | DME | |
Jabbour, Najib | 2:19-cr-00209 | CA-C | 04/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC § 371; 42 USC § 1320a-7b(B)(2)(B) | See Flashberg, Darin Indictment | DME | |
Jabbour, Najib | 2:19-cr-00209 | CA-C | 07/10/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC § 371 | Plea to Count One, conspiracy | DME | |
Collins, Ashley | 3:18-cr-00432 | CA-S | 09/06/2020 | Superseding Information | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(A) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) | See Collins, Jimmy indictment | CMPG | Trial scehdule 12/4/2020 |
Collins, Jimmy | 3:18-cr-00432 | CA-S | 09/06/2020 | Superseding Information | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(A) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) | This is the parent case for several involving Choice, MD, a Cleveland, TN medical clinic, owned by Jimmy and Ashley Collins. Indictment alleges a multi-level marketing scheme in which TRICARE beneficiaries were recruited at military bases to receive compounded creams. Telemedicine consults were used to facilitate fraudulent claims to TRICARE | CMPG | Original indictment 1/24/18; Trial scheduled 12/4/20 |
Craven, Candace | 3:18-cr-04209 | CA-S | 28/09/2018 | Information | 18 USC § 1349 | Defendant charged with health-care fraud conspiracy in a single count, one-page information. No factual details in Information, but the press release indicates that Defendant, a nurse, admitted to sham telemedicine evaluation that resulted in prescriptions for "exorbitantly expensive compounded medications." | PROV, CMPG | One of multiple defendants charged in overarching compounding pharmacy case involving Choice MD, a Tennessee medical clinic |
Craven, Candace | 3:18-cr-04209 | CA-S | 27/11/2018 | Plea agreement | 18 USC § 1349 | Plea agreement is sealed | PROV, CMPG | |
Green, Jr., Charles | 3:20-cr-01566 | CA-S | 10/06/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1343 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) | Green and his codefendant wife Melinda Green owned NHS, a pharmacy billing services company, and HHSPS, a marketing company. The Greens are charged with conspiring with multiple other people and entities in a compounding-pharmacy scheme. The alleged scheme involved kickbacks given and received by compounding laboratories, marketers, and others in return for referrals of TRICARE beneficiaries' prescriptions for compounded medications that were not medically necessary. | CMPG | |
Green, Melinda E. | 3:20-cr-01566 | CA-S | 10/06/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1343 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) | See Green, Charles Indictment | CMPG | |
Chain, Philippe | 3:19-cv-01526 | CT | 27/09/2019 | Complaint | 31 USC § 3729(a)(1)(A) 31 USC § 3729(a)(1)(B) Unjust enrichment Payment by mistake | False Claims Act (FCA) complaint against Connecticut doctor. The complaint alleged that Dr. Chain performed telehealth services for CallMD, a telemedicine company in Las Vegas, NV, by prescribing compounded medications to patients, including those covered by TriCare, a government medical benefits program for members of the military. According to the complaint, the prescriptions Chain authorized were invalid because Chain never examined or spoke to any of the patients or otherwise established a doctor-patient relationship before authorizing them. | PROV, CMPG | |
Chain, Philippe | 3:19-cv-01526 | CT | 01/10/2019 | Settlement Agreement | No admission of liability; $300,000 in restitution | PROV, CMPG | ||
Davidson, Richard | 8:20-cr-00236 | FL-M | 05/08/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Davidson owned or controlled multiple DME companies, characterized as "DME fronts" in the information. Through those companies, Davidson, other coconspirators, and their intermediaries bribed medical providers to prescribe braces (DME) via purported "telemedicine" consultations. The intermediaries, referred to as "marketing companies," would transmit the completed DME orders back to Rouffe and the DME front companies so they could be used to submit to Medicare for reimbursement. Davidson used multiple DME fronts, disguised the ownership structure, and utilized a fake DME "drop shipping company" to elude detection | DME | Note similarity to Rouffe Indictment |
Davidson, Richard | 8:20-cr-00236 | FL-M | 07/08/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | Plea accepted 10/2 | DME | |
Epstein, Richard | 8:20-cr-00196 | FL-M | 17/06/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Epstein founded REMN Management, which was a marketing company serving CGx- and DME companies. The information refers to associated conspirators as "the REMN faction." That "faction" allegedly formed CompTel, a telemedicine company., and various DME supply companies referred to as "DME fronts" in the information. REMN bought leads for Medicare beneficiaries, bribed "telemedicine" doctors to sign the orders, and sold them to coconspirators (including Patsy Truglia (separately charged)). The information alleges a two-pronged scheme that involved both CGx testing (and associated labs) and DME supply companies | DME, CGX | |
Epstein, Richard | 8:20-cr-00196 | FL-M | 17/06/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME, CGX | ||
Fernandez, Ruth | 8:20-cr-00058 | FL-M | 11/02/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1035 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2) | Fernandez managed, and co-defendant Truglia owned, a marketing company and several DME front companies. In a lengthy information, they are charged with a typical "telemedicine" scheme involving buying Medicare beneficiary personal information, bribing doctors in purported telemedicine companies to sign the orders, and selling or using the completed orders to submit fraudulent claims. The information alleges various straw owners of DME companies and other means to conceal ownership and avoid detection. (The allegations and multiple entities overlap with certain allegations in the Epsstein indictment) | DME | |
Friedman, Samuel | 8:20-cr-00168 | FL-M | 02/06/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | In a concisely drafted criminal information, the government alleged that Friedman, through his telemarketing company, SKF, conspired to commit healthcare fraud. SKF representatives contacted Medicare-aged beneficiaries about their interest in receiving orthotic braces (DME). The calls and identifying information were recorded. Then SKF provided that information, through intermediaries, to medical providers and bribed them to approve the prescriptions "under the guise of 'telemedicine.'" After receiving the signed orders back, SKF finally sold them completed orders to unnamed others--presumably DME companies--to submit the claims to Medicare for reimbursement. | DME | |
Friedman, Samuel | 8:20-cr-00168 | FL-M | 04/06/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME | ||
Friedman, Samuel | 8:20-cr-00168 | FL-M | 04/09/2020 | Judgmenta> | 18 USC 1349 | 48 months' imprisonment; $3.42 in restitution | DME | |
Geronimo, Sajid | 8:20-cr-00249 | FL-M | 25/08/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Geronimo owned Cure Healthcare, a purported DME marketing company, which purchased "leads"--patient data and recorded calls--of Medicare beneficiaries. Cure and Geronimo converted the leads to brace orders by bribing doctors to sign them under the guise of "telemedicine," and then sold the completed orders to DME companies for a per-brace kickback | DME | |
Geronimo, Sajid | 8:20-cr-00249 | FL-M | 25/08/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME | ||
Helfrich, Christopher | 8:20-cr-00297 | FL-M | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Helfrich and (separately charged) co-defendant Kovacsik owned A2B Insurance and Helfrich owned CRH Holdings. Through those companies, Helfrich would obtain or purchase leads for Medicare beneficiaries, which included patient data and call recordings. Helfrich, in turn, sold those leads to a telemedicine company (Integrated Support Plus, owned by separately charged Willie McNeal) that arranged for doctors to sign orders for the DME. Kickbacks and bribes were disguised as various types of sham contracts | DME | Related case: U.S. v. McNeal, 8:19-cr-146 |
Helfrich, Christopher | 8:20-cr-00297 | FL-M | 30/09/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME | ||
Kovacsik, Adam | 8:20-cr-00299 | FL-M | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | See Helfrich, C. information | DME | Related case: U.S. v. McNeal, 8:19-cr-146 |
Kovacsik, Adam | 8:20-cr-00299 | FL-M | 22/10/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME | ||
McNeal, Willie | 8:19-cr-00146 | FL-M | 04/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(B)(1)(B) | McNeal owned and operated two telemedicine companies, WebDoctors Plus, Inc. and Integrated Support Plus, Inc., both located in Hernando County, Florida. Through those companies, McNeal is alleged to have paid doctors and healthcare providers to order or prescribe DME products for Medicare beneficiaries. The providers did so via telemedicine consults that allegedly did not satisfy the regulatory requirements for such prescription, including an adequate examination, direct communication with the patient, and medical necessity. The indictment alleges that McNeal, in turn, solicited kickbacks in return for arranging for providing signed DME orders to be used to support claims for reimbursement to Medicare | DME | |
McNeal, Willie | 8:19-cr-00146 | FL-M | 29/09/2020 | Plea Agreement | Plea to Counts 1 (conspiracy) and 5 (Anti-Kickback Statute) | Plea hearing 10/27 | ||
Mendez, Fernando | 8:20-cr-00298 | FL-M | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Mendez owned both a telemarketing company and two DME companies. Through those companies, he purchased Medicare beneficiaries' information, which in turn was provided to Integrated Support Plus (owned by Willie McNeal, separately charged). Integrated, a telemedicine company, arranged for healthcare providers to sign orders for the DME, which Mendez then either provided to DME companies or billed directly to Medicare through his own companies. The kickbacks between the call centers, Integrated, and other companies were disguised as various types of sham contracts | DME | Related case: U.S. v. McNeal, 8:19-cr-146 |
Mendez, Fernando | 8:20-cr-00298 | FL-M | 13/10/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME | plea hearing 11/9 | |
Nolan, Michael | 8:20-cr-00195 | FL-M | 17/06/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Nolan was a co-founder of REMN Management, a marketing company, with Richard Epstein (separately charged). The allegations against both largely overlap. See Epstein, Richard Information | DME, CGX | |
Nolan, Michael | 8:20-cr-00195 | FL-M | 17/06/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME, CGX | sentencing 1/14/21 | |
Rouffe, Jonathan | 8:20-cr-00173 | FL-M | 04/06/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Rouffe owned or controlled multiple DME companies, characterized as "DME fronts" in the information. Through those companies, Rouffe, other coconspirators, and their intermediaries bribed medical providers to prescribe braces (DME) via purported "telemedicine" consultations. The intermediaries, referred to as "marketing companies," would transmit the completed DME orders back to Rouffe and the DME front companies so they could be used to submit to Medicare for reimbursement. Rouffe used multiple DME fronts, disguised the ownership structure, and utilized a fake DME "drop shipping company" to elude detection | DME | |
Rouffe, Jonathan | 8:20-cr-00173 | FL-M | 24/06/2020 | Plea-Amendment | 18 USC 1349 | DME | sentencing 12/15/20 | |
Savastano, Paul | 8:20-cr-00213 | FL-M | 13/07/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Savastano was a partner within the so-called REMN Faction (see Epstein, Richard Information), which among other things, operated CompTel, a purported telemedicine company. Savastano is alleged to have connected the REMN Faction principals, Epstein and Nolan (both separately charged) with Patsy Truglia and Ruth Fernandez (also separately charged) who operated another marketing company. See Fernandez, Ruth Information. | DME, CGX | |
Savastano, Paul | 8:20-cr-00213 | FL-M | 13/07/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME, CGX | ||
Scott, Ivan Andre | 6:19-cr-00209 | FL-M | 24/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(B)(1)(A) 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 | The indictment alleges two conspiracies and related charges arising from fraudulent claims for cancer genetic testing (CGx). Scott and his coconspirators allegedly identified Medicare beneficiaries, informed them of their eligibility for CGx testing, and sent CGx tests to those beneficiaries for self-administration. When the tests were returned, Scott would send returned tests to laboratories and later cause submission of claims to Medicare, despite the tests being medically unnecessary or Scott receiving kickbacks for procuring the kickbacks for procuring the beneficiaries. Healthcare providers were paid for ordering or prescribing genetic testing via telemedicine consultations that did not meet Medicare guidelines. | CGX | Trial 1/4/21 |
Truglia, Patsy | 8:20-cr-00058 | FL-M | 11/02/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1035 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2) | See Fernandez, Ruth Indictment | DME | |
Aaronson, Sean | 0:20-cr-60106 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Aaronson was the office manager for US Care Associates, a marketing company in Broward County, FL. While purporting to offer marketing services to DME companies, US Healthcare actually sold doctors' order--generated via a "telemedicine" company, Dial4MD-- to DME companies for kickbacks. Aaronson and others concealed their conspiracy by submitting false invoices for "marketing services" to companies. US Healthcare and Dial4MD were owned by Emmanuel Silva (separately charged) | DME | |
Agbi, John | 9:19cr080170 | FL-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Agbi was a physician licensed in Florida. He signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, in return for kickback and bribes. The braces were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. | PROV, DME | |
Agbi, John | 9:19cr080170 | FL-S | 04/11/2019 | Judgment | 18 USC 1349 | Sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment; restitution of over $39 million | PROV, DME | |
Agbi, John | 9:19cr080170 | FL-S | 23/02/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | PROV, DME | ||
Austin, Dean | 0:19-cr-60276 | FL-S | 27/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371, 42 USC 1320a-7(b)(1)(A) | Austin and codefendant Miano owned ELab Partners. Through that company, they targeted Medicare beneficiaries through telemarketing for cancer genomic (CGx) tests regardless of medical necessity. They then paid bribes to telemedicine companies so doctors would order the CGx tests for the beneficiaries, despite not treating them for cancer or conducting a proper telemedicine consultation. The defendants then sent the completed doctors' orders to several laboratories in return for kcikbacks. The laboratories, in turn, submitted the tests supported by the orders to Medicare for reimbursement. | CGX | |
Austin, Dean | 0:19-cr-60276 | FL-S | 05/02/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371; 42 USC 1320a-7(b)(1)(A) | CGX | ||
Baker, Dean | 0:19-cr-60275 | FL-S | 27/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Baker and codefendant Miano owned Wolf Branch Technology Group. Through that company, they targeted Medicare beneficiaries through telemarketing for cancer genomic (CGx) tests regardless of medical necessity. They then paid bribes to telemedicine companies so doctors would order the CGx tests for the beneficiaries, despite not treating them for cancer or conducting a proper telemedicine consultation. The defendants then sent the completed doctors' orders to several laboratories in return for kcikbacks. The laboratories, in turn, submitted the tests supported by the orders to Medicare for reimbursement. | CGX | Nearly identical to Austin/Miano Information |
Baker, Dean | 0:19-cr-60275 | FL-S | 13/12/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | CGX | ||
Baker, Dean | 0:19-cr-60275 | FL-S | 30/06/2020 | Judgment-Amended | 18 USC 371 | 30 months' imprisonment. $2,302,370 restitution (joint and several with Miano, Garipoli, Ricciardi, Molz, and Satary). Forfeiture is a $113,000 money judgment | CGX | Laboratories in this case were owned by Satary (charged in LA-E) and the telemedicine company was owned by Garipoli (charged separately in FL-S) |
Belone, Carlos | 0:20-mj-06264 | FL-S | 07/07/2020 | Complaint | 18 USC 1343 18 USC 1349 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) 18 USC 1014 | Belone owned a pharmacy and other DME company that submitted false claims based on prescriptions for braces that were obtained via bribes or kickbacks to marketing or telemedicine companies. While the basic facts follow the typical telemedicine scheme fact pattern, Belone's complaint is notable for two reasons. First, it cites and quotes not just cooperating telemedicine physicians (separately charged) but also beneficiaries who were contacted by marketers. Second, Belone's scheme also involved, separately, COVID-related fraud aspects in that he made various false representation in applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds on behalf of his companies. | DME, COVID | |
Cavallo, Joseph | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1956(h) | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Chiasson, Margaret | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1956(h) | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Chibnick, Jordan | 9:19-cr-80168 | FL-S | 19/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B) | See Karlick, J. indictment | DME | |
Chibnick, Jordan | 9:19-cr-80168 | FL-S | 17/09/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | DME | ||
Clark, Robert | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Edwin, Pamela | 9:19-cr-80169 | FL-S | 18/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1343 | See Kahn, S. indictment. Unlike Kahn, Edwin was not charged with money laundering under section 1957 | DME | |
Engimann, James | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1956(h) 18 USC 1956(a)(1) | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Faley, Jason | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Garcia, Luis | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Garipoli, Richard | 9:19-cr-80196 | FL-S | 26/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(B)(1)(B) 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 | Garipoli owned Lotus Health, a telemedicine company. which contracted with doctors who prescribed CGx tests for Medicare beneficiaries even though the tests were not medically necessary and the doctors did not meet the required guidelines for establishing a doctor-patient relationship, treating the beneficiary, or a valid telemedicine visit. In turn, various companies paid Lous Health and Garipoli for the completed doctors’ order, which were later used to support fraudulent Medicare claims submitted by the laboratories who performed the testing. | CGX | |
Gousgounis, Antonio | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1956(h) 18 USC 1956(a)(1) | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Heath, Benjamin | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1956(h) | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Humphrey, Brian | 9:20-cr-80065 | FL-S | 11/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Humphrey and co-defendant Lantz owned, individually or together, multiple DME companies (Alliance, Arbor, Bradley, Four Seasons, Hogan, and Universal). They paid call centers and marketers for completed doctors' orders for braces for TRICARE and Medicare beneficiaries, which they then used to submit false claims to government insurers. | DME | |
Kahn, Steven | 9:19-80169 | FL-S | 19/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1343 18 USC 1957(a) | Kahn owned and controlled several entities, including RAS Marketing Services, STK Marketing, Nationwide Call Centers, Luxury Lifestyles Management, and Sunrise Marketing. Co-defendant Edwin was the office manager for those entities. Through those entities, the two defendants allegedly provided pre-filled doctors' orders for DME to telemedicine doctors who worked for the same entities. In return for bribes or kickbacks, the doctors signed the orders without regard to medical necessity and often based on a short telephone conversation with the patient or no communication at all. The completed orders were provided to DME companies, which in turn billed Medicare for over $39 million, resulting in over $21 million in reimbursement paid to those DME companies. | DME | |
Kahn, Steven | 9:19-80169 | FL-S | 30/07/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | Plea to Count One, conspiracy. Agreed recommended USSG offense level 36. Agreed restitution of over $21 million | DME | |
Karlick, Jordan | 9:19-cr-80168 | FL-S | 19/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B) | Karlick and his co-defendants, Moranz and Chibnick, owned or controlled two DME companies in Palm Beach, FL, Parris Medical Services and Mountain Home Equipment. In addition, Chibnick owned Medical Equipment Services of Southeast Florida, a third DME company. The Defendants paid kickbacks and bribes to persons at international call centers in return for completed, signed doctors' orders for medically unnecessary DME. The payments for those doctors' orders were disguised as marketing fees. The resulting claims to Medicare were nearly $24 million, which resulted in almost $10 million paid to defendants. The overt acts alleged as part of 371 conspiracy count are particularly revealing, alleging that emails referenced getting certain "key words" into the doctors' orders and changing the note template to get more details | DME | |
Lantz, Brandon | 9:20-cr-80065 | FL-S | 11/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | See Humphrey, Brian Indictment | DME | |
Loveland, Anthony | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Mahbubani, Rajesh | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 13/05/2019 | Second Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(A) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) | See Ramamurthy, S. Second Superseding Indictment. Mahbubani owned and operated MHQC, which makreted compounded medications to TRICARE beneficiaries. | CGX, CMPG | |
Mahbubani, Rajesh | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 03/02/2020 | Judgment | 121 months' imprisonment | CGX, CMPG | ||
Mahbubani, Rajesh | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | Plea Agreement | CGX, CMPG | ||||
Margait, Christopher | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1956(h) 18 USC 1956(a)(1) | See Vollaro, Mark Information | CMPG | |
Mauzy, Anthony | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 13/05/2019 | Second Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(A) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) | See Ramamurthy, S. Second Superseding Indictment. Mauzy owned and operated MHQC, which makreted compounded medications to TRICARE beneficiaries. | CGX, CMPG | |
Mauzy, Anthony | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | Plea Agreement | CGX, CMPG | ||||
Mauzy, Anthony | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | Judgment | 49 months' imprisonment. Restitution in the amount of $3,493,512 | CGX, CMPG | |||
Miano, Christopher | 0:19-cr-60276 | FL-S | 27/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371, 42 USC 1320a-7(b)(1)(A) | See Austin, Dean Information | CGX | |
Miano, Christopher | 0:19-cr-60276 | FL-S | 05/02/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371, 42 USC 1320a-7(b)(1)(A) | CGX | ||
Molz, Harry | 0:19-cr-60275 | FL-S | 27/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | See Baker, Dean Information | CGX | |
Molz, Harry | 0:19-cr-60275 | FL-S | 28/01/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | CGX | ||
Molz, Harry | 0:19-cr-60275 | FL-S | 30/06/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 14 months' imprisonment (a signficant downward variance from the 46-57 months advisory sentencing range). $2,302,370 restitution (joint and several with Miano, Garipoli, Ricciardi, Molz, and Satary). Forfeiture is a $229,695 money judgment | CGX | |
Moranz, Michael | 9:19-cr-80168 | FL-S | 19/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B) | See Karlick, Jordan indictment | DME | |
Patel, Mital | 9:19-cr-80181 | FL-S | 25/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(B)(2)(A) 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 1956(h) | Patel owned LabSolutions, Inc., one of the laboratories involved with telemedicine company Lotus Health. See Garipoli indictment | CGX | Additional money laundering conspiracy charge |
Ramamurthy, Mangala | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 13/05/2019 | Second Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 18 USC 1001 | See Ramamurthy, S. Second Superseding Indictment. Magnala Ramamurthy was a medical doctor. Her role in the scheme was to sign orders and authorize compounded medications, often via telemedicine consultations that did not meet the standards for a doctor-patient relationship or a proper visit | CGX, CMPG, PROV | |
Ramamurthy, Mangala | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | Plea agreement | 18 USC 371; 18 USC 1349 | CGX, CMPG, PROV | |||
Ramamurthy, Mangala | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | Judgment | 18 USC 371; 18 USC 1349 | 34 months' imprisonment | CGX, CMPG, PROV | ||
Ramamurthy, Senthil | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 13/05/2019 | Second Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(A) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) | LIke many other cases, the Ramamurty case is not really a "telemedicine" case at all .Rather, it is a compounding pharmacy and CGx fraud case in which bogus "telemedicine" consults played a role in obtaining the signed doctor order to support hte testing or script. S.Ramamurthy owned several companies that marketed cancer genomic (CGx) testing. Other defendants owned companies that marketed compounding medications. Mangala Ramamurthy was the only actual doctor charged in this case for writing orders without medical necesssity or a doctor-patient relationship. | CGX, CMPG | |
Ramamurthy, Senthil | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | Plea Agreement | CGX, CMPG | ||||
Ramamurthy, Senthil | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | Judgment | 18 USC 371; 18 USC 1349 | 120 months' imprisonment. Restitution in the amount of $9,636,176 | CGX, CMPG | ||
Ricciardi, Joseph | 0:19-cr-60277 | FL-S | 27/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Ricciardi owned several companies involved in a CGx fraud. He paid marketers to recruit Medicare beneficiaries, paid telemedicine companies to write bogus orders for those tests, and solicited bribes from labs to perform and bill for those tests. | CGX | |
Ricciardi, Joseph | 0:19-cr-60277 | FL-S | 13/12/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | CGX | ||
Ricciardi, Joseph | 0:19-cr-60277 | FL-S | 21/02/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 36 months' imprisonment. $9 million restitution (joint and several with Satary, K. (charged separately)). | CGX | |
Sahs, Thomas | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 13/05/2019 | Second Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(A) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) | See Ramamurthy, S. Second Superseding Indictment. Sahs owned and operated MHQC, which makreted compounded medications to TRICARE beneficiaries. | CGX, CMPG | |
Sahs, Thomas | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 13/12/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | CGX, CMPG | ||
Sahs, Thomas | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 25/02/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 1349 | 45 months' imprisonment | CGX, CMPG | |
Scholtes, John | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 13/05/2019 | Second Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 371 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(A) | See Ramamurthy, S. Second Superseding Indictment. Scholtes worked with Ramamurthy and tracked payments and prescriptions | CGX, CMPG | |
Scholtes, John | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 16/12/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349; 18 USC 371 | CGX, CMPG | ||
Scholtes, John | 1:18-cr-20710 | FL-S | 25/02/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 1349; 18 USC 371 | 97 months' imprisoment | CGX, CMPG | |
Silva, Emmanuel | 0:20-cr-60106 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Silva owned US Car Associates (marketing company), Dial4MD (telemedicine), Phoenix Health, and Sunshine Bracing (DME companies). See Aaronson, Sean Indictment | DME | |
Simmons, James | 0:19-cr-60273 | FL-S | 26/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371; 42 USC 1320a-7b(B)(1)(B); 18 USC 1349; 18 USC 1347 | Simmons owned two telemedicine companies, MedSymphony LLC and Meetmydoc LLC in Ft. Lauderdale FL. Various marketing companies paid kickbacks to MedSymphony through Meetmydoc in exchange for ordering and arranging for the ordering of CGx tests for Medicare beneficiaries. MedSymphony paid doctors (who contracted with MedSymphony under the guise of performing telemedicine consultations) would prepare the orders to support the tests, despite the tests not being medically necessary or eligible for Medicare reimbursement. The doctors' orders were supplied to various laboratories that then submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for the false and fraudulent CGx tests. | CGX | |
Simmons, James | 0:19-cr-60273 | FL-S | 27/02/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | CGX | ||
Simmons, James | 0:19-cr-60273 | FL-S | 27/10/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 1349 | Sentenced to 35 months' imprisonment; $2.5 million restitution | CGX | |
Vollaro, Mark | 0:20-cr-60104 | FL-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1956(h) 18 USC 1957 | Defendants Loveland and Garcia operated a call center to find beneficiaries whose insurance would pay for compounded medications. Defendants Cavallo, Chiasson, Gougounis, Engimann, Heath, and Margait were marketers, among other roles. Defendant Clark provided patient lists and information to USA Healthcare. Vollaro and Faley operated Complete Healthcare Concierge (CHC), a purported telemedicine company. CHC received partially completed prescriptions, which they would convert to fraudulent prescriptions for reimbursement. Those prescriptions were then provided to an unnamed compounding pharmacy to bill insurance plans. The defendants used various front companies to disguise the kickbacks for the medical consultation to generate the prescription (via "telemedicine") and per-prescription kickback. | CMPG | |
Bagley, Cathy | 4:19-cr-00167 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Bagley was a physician licensed in Georgia and several other states who contracted with a telemedicine company. She signed orders for braces and other items without examining the patient or otherwise meeting the Medicare requirements for a telemedicine consultation. Bagley was charged with conspiracy, which is very common. Interestingly, however, the indictment did not list the object offense of that conspiracy to be healthcare fraud or a violation of the AKS as is usually done. Rather, the object was a violation of the Travel Act (18 U.S.C. 1952), which incorporates the state-law commercial bribery prohibition (here, as described, under Florida law). See note. | PROV, DME | The Travel Act is increasingly used in healthcare fraud-related prosecutions (See, e.g., the Forest Park Medical Center cases in Dallas, TX). It enables prosecutors to reach conduct involving private insurers (as opposed to government payors) that might otherwise be out of reach of statutes. Here, however, the Information did allege submission to Medicare. |
Bagley, Cathy | 4:19-cr-00167 | GA-S | 23/01/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | PROV, DME | ||
Bagley, Cathy | 4:19-cr-00167 | GA-S | 25/06/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 1 year of probation; restitution of $244,661.68 | PROV, DME | |
Beaufils, Sherley | 1:20-cr-00063 | GA-S | 02/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 1035(a)(1) 18 USC 1001 | PROV, DME | ||
Butler, Karen | 4:19-cr-00166 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Butler was a physician licensed in Georgia who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against Dr. Cathy Bagley and Roland Green with one exception: the identified object offense of the conspiracy in this case is Section 1035, false statements regarding healthcare matters, rather than Travel Act/commercial bribery violations. | PROV, DME | |
Butler, Karen | 4:19-cr-00166 | GA-S | 18/12/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | The plea agreement is styled as a FRCP 11(c)(1)(C) plea, which establishes a sentencing range of 0-30 months' imprisonment. Butler's conspiracy charge (unlike several similarly charged doctors in GA-S), was based on Section 1035, not the Travel Act. Other documents suggest that this was due to some distinction in whether Butler was paid for a telemedicine consultation or for completed doctors' orders to support a DME claim. The (unstated but apparent) problem with that approach is that the loss amount under the USSG likely incorporated the full loss of the larger DME/telemedicine scheme, resulting in a range far higher than under the Travel Act, which loss is calculated by the amount of the bribes received by the defendant. The "C" plea was a mechanism to avoid the exposure of the higher loss amount. | PROV, DME | A FRCP 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreeds on a fixed sentence or fixed sentencing range that the court must accept or reject without modification. By contrast, a plea under FRCP 11(c)(1)(B) makes recommendations to the court regarding a sentence or factor(s) for sentencing and the ultimate sentence is in the discretion of the court. |
Butler, Karen | 4:19-cr-00166 | GA-S | 04/08/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | Sentenced to one year of probation; restitution $459,362 | PROV, DME | |
Coleman, Angela | 4:20-cr-00089 | GA-S | 28/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Coleman was a physician licensed in Georgia who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against several other doctors in SDGA. (See Green, Bagley, Gibbons Indictments) | PROV, DME | |
Efthimiou, Peter | 4:19-cr-00156 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | The information against Efthimiou follows the pattern by similar contemporaneous informations in GA-S regarding "telemedicine" schmes involving DME. Efthimiou's role is alleged to have been to recruit physicians and faciliate the payment for the purported telemedicine consultation | DME | |
Efthimiou, Peter | 4:19-cr-00156 | GA-S | 07/11/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | DME | ||
Efthimiou, Peter | 4:19-cr-00156 | GA-S | 25/06/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 3 years' probation. $987,750 in restitution | DME | |
Folden, Tina | 4:19-cr-00165 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Folden was a nurse practitioner who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against other contemporaneous telemedicine cases in GA-S. Other providers (see Green, Bagley) were similarly charged | PROV, DME | |
Folden, Tina | 4:19-cr-00165 | GA-S | 17/09/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 3 years' probation. Restitution of $22,536 | PROV, DME | |
Folden, Tina | 4:19-cr-00165 | GA-S | 18/12/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | PROV, DME | ||
Frame, Charlene | 4:20-cr-00030 | GA-S | 23/04/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Frame operated Royal Physiican Network and Envision it Perfect LLC, two companies that purportedly paid medical practitioners in exchange for ordering DME. The information against Frame follows the pattern by similar contemporaneous informations in GA-S regarding "telemedicine" schmes involving DME. Frame's role is alleged to have been to recruit physicians and faciliate the payment for the purported telemedicine consultation | DME | |
Frame, Charlene | 4:20-cr-00030 | GA-S | 09/07/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | DME | ||
Frey, William | 4:19-cr-00157 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | The information against Frey follows the pattern by similar contemporaneous informations in GA-S regarding "telemedicine" schmes involving DME. Frey's role is alleged to have been to recruit physicians and faciliate the payment for the purported telemedicine consultation | DME | |
Frey, William | 4:19-cr-00157 | GA-S | 25/11/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | DME | ||
Frey, William | 4:19-cr-00157 | GA-S | 18/09/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 3 years' probation; $484,565 in restitution | DME | |
Gibbons, Mark | 2:20-cr-00052 | GA-S | 29/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Gibbons was a physician licensed in Georgia who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against several other doctors in SDGA. (See Green, Bagley Indictments) | PROV, DME | |
Gibbons, Mark | 2:20-cr-00052 | GA-S | 27/10/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | PROV, DME | ||
Green, Roland | 4:19-cr-00163 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Green was a physician licensed in Georgia who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against Dr. Cathy Bagley | PROV, DME | |
Green, Roland | 4:19-cr-00163 | GA-S | 29/04/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 3 years' probation; $170,000 restitution. Downward departure from USSG range of 18-24 months. The amount of loss was affixed to Green's compensation for the consultations, NOT the value of the claims paid by Medicare, which reflects the charging decision to premise the conspiracy count on the Travel Act/commercial bribery and not the larger healthcare fraud scheme. | PROV, DME | |
Green, Roland | 4:19-cr-00163 | GA-S | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | PROV, DME | |||
Kadam, Vishwas | 4:19-cr-00162 | GA-S | 17/12/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Kadam was a physician licensed in Georgia who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against several other doctors in SDGA. (See Salim, Green, Bagley Indictments) | PROV, DME | |
Kadam, Vishwas | 4:19-cr-00162 | GA-S | 17/12/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | PROV, DME | ||
Kadam, Vishwas | 4:19-cr-00162 | GA-S | 18/08/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 12 months' probation; restitution of $135,010 | PROV, DME | |
Rivera, Milagros | 4:19-cr-00161 | GA-S | 26/11/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Rivera was a physician licensed in Georgia who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against several other doctors in SDGA. (See Salim, Green, Bagley Indictments) | PROV, DME | |
Rivera, Milagros | 4:19-cr-00161 | GA-S | 26/11/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | PROV, DME | ||
Rivera, Milagros | 4:19-cr-00161 | GA-S | 21/05/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | Time served (one day), supervised release of 1 year; restitution in the amount of $81,360 | PROV, DME | |
Salim, Jawad | 4:19-cr-00160 | GA-S | 26/11/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Salim was a physician licensed in Georgia who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against several other doctors in SDGA. (See Green, Bagley Indictments) | PROV, DME | |
Salim, Jawad | 4:19-cr-00160 | GA-S | 26/11/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | PROV, DME | ||
Salim, Jawad | 4:19-cr-00160 | GA-S | 08/07/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | Time served (one day), supervised release of 1 year; restitution in the amount of $500,000 | PROV, DME | |
Securo, Anthony | 6:19-cr-00010 | GA-S | 12/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1035 18 USC 1347 | Securo signed thousands of DME order that were fraudulent because they were not medically necessary, were obtained via telemedicine consultations that did not establish a doctor-patient relationship or otherwise meet Medicare regulations, and were tainted by kickbacks from the DME company. | PROV, DME | |
Securo, Anthony | 6:19-cr-00010 | GA-S | 06/03/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1035 | PROV, DME | ||
Securo, Anthony | 6:19-cr-00010 | GA-S | 19/05/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 1035 | Plea to one count; 5 years' probation; Restitution of $449,070 | PROV, DME | |
Soriano, Dino | 4:19-cr-00159 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Soriano was a nurse practitioner who signed orders for braces, via work for a telemedicine company, that were not based on an actual examination or otherwise appropriate under Medicare telemedicine requirements. The Information follows nearly the exact format as the Information charged against other contemporaneous telemedicine cases in GA-S. Other providers (see Folden, Bagley) were similarly charged | PROV, DME | |
Soriano, Dino | 4:19-cr-00159 | GA-S | 07/11/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | PROV, DME | ||
Soriano, Dino | 4:19-cr-00159 | GA-S | 18/03/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | Time served (one day). $170,000 in restitution | PROV, DME | |
Steinkohl, Richard | 4:19-cr-00158 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | DME | ||
Steinkohl, Richard | 4:19-cr-00158 | GA-S | 25/11/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | DME | Sentencing 12/1/20 | |
Steinkohl, Richard | 4:19-cr-00158 | GA-S | 11/12/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 6 months' imprisonment; $2 million in restitution | DME | |
Tanner, Jonathan | 4:19-cr-00158 | GA-S | 24/09/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371 | See Steinkohl, Richard Information | DME | |
Tanner, Jonathan | 4:19-cr-00158 | GA-S | 07/11/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | DME | ||
Tanner, Jonathan | 4:19-cr-00158 | GA-S | 11/12/2020 | Judgment | 18 USC 371 | 6 months' imprisonment; $2 million in restitution | DME | |
Audisho, Sargon | 20-cr-00558 | IL-N | 27/08/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1035(a)(2) 18 USC 1347 | PROV, CGX | ||
Satary, Khalid Amded | 2:19-cr-00197 | LA-E | 26/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 1956(h) | Satary owned and controlled, directly or through others, Lazarus Services, Performance Laboratories, LLC and Clio Laboratories, LLC, all of which purported to be laboratories that provide cancer genomic testing (CGx). He also operated Alpha Medical Consulting, Inc., which provided marketing and other support to the laboratories. Satary paid co-conspirators to (a) locate beneficiaries for CGx testing, (b) send them CGx testing kits and get their samples, and (c) pay telemedicine companies to obtain orders authorizing medically unnecessary CGx testing. The Satary-owned labs conducted the testing and submitted it for Medicare Reimbursement, resulting in $547 million in false claims between Jan 2017 and Sep 2019 | CGX | |
Allen, Mark | 3:19-cr-00120 | LA-M | 26/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(B)(1) 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 | See Hanley, K. indictment | CGX | |
Hanley, Kevin | 3:19-cr-00120 | LA-M | 26/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(B)(2) 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 | Hanley was CFO for a diagnostic laboratory (Acadian) that did CGx testing; Co-defendant Allen owned Archer Diagnostics, a marketing company that solicited beneficiaries for CGx testing. Allen and unnamed co-conspirators solicited beneficiaries for CGx testing. They then paid "kickbacks and bribes" to a unnamed telemedicine company to obtain doctors' orders for CGx testing that was not medically necessary. In turn, Hanley paid Allen and others for the false doctor orders and testing samples. The laboratories performed CGx testing on the samples and submitted the claims to Medicare, billing $246 million between March 2019 and July 2019. | CGX | |
Hanley, Kevin | 3:19-cr-00120 | LA-M | 22/01/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 (Count 5) | Hanley plead guilty to conspiracy to pay or receive kickbacks. The plea agreement stipulated facts are limited to the loss associated with the Acadian-related claims ($127.4 million) and reimbursements ($21.3 million). The balance of the originally alleged claims/reimbursements flowed from other laboratories referenced in the indictment | CGX | |
Fluitt, George | 3:20-cr-00196 | LA-W | 09/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B) | Fluitt co-owned Speciality Drug Testing, a diagnostic laboratory that did toxicology, blood, and genetic testing. Two unnamed companies collected DNA samples and uncompleted physician orders for genetic testing (cancer genetic testing (CGx) and pharmacogenetic testing (PGx)). They did so at health fairs, through telemarketing, and other means. A third unnamed company arranged for doctors to sign off of the orders, which were then sold to Fluitt who, through his lab, billed Medicare. The tests were medically unnecessary and procured via kickbacks paid or received by the companies involved. Over $117 million in false claims were submitted. | CGX, PGX | |
Buitrago, Juan Camilo Perez | 1:20-cr-10097 | MA | 22/05/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1347 42 USC 1320a-7b | Buitrago ran multiple "shell" DME companies that purchased patient referrals from call centers and submitted fraudulent claims for DME to Medicare. (Note: From the allegations, it does not appear to have a true "telemedicine" component as the call centers provided beneficiary information but no doctors' orders. The fraudulent claims were submitted with false information about providers). | DME | |
Jones, Jessica | 1:20-cr-10212 | MA | 29/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | Jones, and later co-defendant Putulin, controlled multiple shell DME companies and purchased Medicare beneficiary data from various call centers. AT least one unnamed person (Person 1) who obtained some signed some orders for DME for the obtained beneficiaries. In most cases, however, the DME companies submitted claims for reimbursement without any prescriber orders. In most cases, the beneficiaries did not want or were unaware of the DME ordered in their name. (Note similarity of Information with Buitarga). | DME | |
Putulin, Elizabeth | 1:20-cr-10212 | MA | 29/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | See Jones, Jessica Information (9/29/20) | DME | |
Berrios-Antuna, Emilio | 2:20-cr-20275 | MI-E | 25/06/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1347 | Dr. Berrios-Antuna was an MD in Michigan who contracted with several purported telemedicine companies. His healthcare fraud charges are based on his ordering medically unnecessary braces for patients via one of those (unnamed) telemedicine companies. Specifically, Berrios-Antuna would sign doctors' orders for DME for patients without seeing or speaking to them, without a determination of medical necessity, and without establishing a doctor-patient relationship. The orders were then used by accomplice DME companies to submit false Medicare claims. Berrios-Antuna is alleged to have caused submission of over $1.2 million in such claims from April 2018-May 2019. | DME, PROV | |
Toya, Sophie | 2:20-cr-20452 | MI-E | 23/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1347 18 USC 1035(a) | Dr. Toya was a physician in Michigan who contracted with various telemedicine companies, including AffordADoc and Integrated Support Plus. She signed orders for braces that were medically unnecessary, tainted by kickbacks, not the product of a doctor-patient relationship, and based on a "telemedicine" consultation that did not meeting Medicare requirements. | DME, PROV | See related cases involving Harry, Creaghan (AffordADoc) and William McNeal (ISP) |
Deery, Hugh G. II | 1:20-cr-00134 | MI-W | 02/09/2020 | Indictment" target="_blank" >Indictment | 18 USC 1035(a)(2) | Dr. Deery contracted with an unnamed company, referred to as a "marketing company" to sign exam notes, prepared orders, and letters of medical necessity. The documents had been created by the company using Medicare beneficiary information and call recordings obtained from call centers. Deery was charged with 17 counts of false statements relating to healthcare matters based on different allegedly false notes or order he signed. | PROV, DME | |
Hill, Mark | 4:20-cr-00067 | MT | 03/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 | Hill was a nurse practitioner in Cut Bank, Montana. Working for Integrated Support Network, a telemedicine company owned by Willie McNeal (see McNeal Indictment, FL-M), Hill signed DME orders prepared by telemarketing companies that obtained Medicare beneficiary information. After the orders were signed (by Hill and others), they would be sent back to the telemarketing companies that, in turn, would forward them to DME companies for a fixed price. According to the Indictment, Hill and others cause the submission over $10 million in false claims to Medicare, resulting in over $5 million paid by Medicare. | PROV, DME | |
Belter, Mark | 2:20-mj-13401 | NJ | 08/09/2020 | Criminal-Complaint | 18 USC 371 | As part of the charged conspiracy, defendant Beleter identified Medicare beneficiaries for certain prescriptions and DME. He would send that information to RediDoc, and then pay co-defendants Laughlin and Luke (RediDoc employees) kickbacks for signed prescriptions and doctors' orders they could procure for the beneficiaries. Laughlin and Luke paid kickbacks to telemedicine doctors to sign the orders and prescriptions and, in turn, transmitted them orders to a pharmacy (Apogee) and DME providers who billed for them. The DME principals (separately charged, see Welwart, E. criminal complaint, 2:20-mj-12359) paid Belter kickbacks for originating the claims. | DME | |
Davydov, Albert | 2:19-cr-00247 | NJ | 05/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 | See Williamsky, N. indictment | ||
Ellis, Matthew | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 25/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | Ellis was a doctor who signed false CGX orders procured via the Ark Laboratory Network. See Kotishion, Edward Indictment | PROV, CGX | |
Fleyshmakher, Alex | 3:18-cr-00462 | NJ | 12/09/2019 | Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 371 18 USC 1343 | See Khaimov Indictment | ||
Gupta, Adarsh | 2:20-cr-00773 | NJ | 11/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 1035 | Gupta was a NJ-based physician who contracted with AfforAdoc, an entity that operated a network of different telemedicine company and that was owned by Creaghan Harry (separately charged, see Harry, C. indictment). Gupta signed doctors' orders for various types of braces based on a short telephone call with patients via the AffordAdoc network. The braces were medically unnecessary, not supported by a doctor-patient relationship, or otherwise ineligible under Medicare. Gupta was paid $30 per consultation to consult with beneficiaries; the completed brace orders were supplied to DME companies who submitted them to Medicare for reimbursement | PROV, DME | |
Harry, Creaghan | 2:19-cr-00246 | NJ | 05/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(B) 18 USC 1956(h) | Harry and co-defendant Stocket controlled multiple telemedicine or related companies, including Video Doctor USA, Procall, and Affordadoc. Through telemedicine companies, Harry and Stocket hired healthcare providers to order braces for Medicare beneficiaries. Harry, Stockett, and co-defendant Loewenstern solicited kickbacks in exchange for arranging and ordering braces. The braces were procured via these kickbacks, were not medically necessary (or otherwise ineligible for reimbursement), or not provided. The kickbacks were disguised as marketing fees or "business process outsourcing." The fraudulent order were, in turn, transferred to DME providers who billed Medicare. The defendants falsely represented to investors and other that the companies were legitimate telemedicine companies and that beneficiaries enrolled in programs to receive telemedicine consultations | DME | |
Khaimov, Samuel | 3:18-cr-00462 | NJ | 12/09/2019 | Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 371 18 USC 1343 | |||
Kostishion, Edward | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 25/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | The charges center on Ark Laboratory Network, which operated several entities that performed or facilitated CGx testing and was owned by Kostishion. Richey and Plaisance worked at Ark. McLean and Plaisance controlled Privy, a marketing company that recruited patients and obtained DNA samples. Ellis was a doctor who was the medical director for Privy. Defendants used fake "market studies" and free gift cards to obtain DNA samples from insureds, which were later used to generated CGx tests and billing. Dr. Ellis signed the false orders for testing, and kickbacks and bribes to DNA labs were disguised as sham invoices. | CGX | |
Kostishion, Edward | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 19/11/2020 | Superseding Information | 18 USC 371 | Superseding information charges two counts of 18 USC 371 (conspiracy), one count premised based on conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and the other based on conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. | CGX | The superseding information was filed the same day as the plea agreement. The primary difference between 18 USC 1349 (fraud-related conspiracy originally charged) and 18 USC 371 (conspiracy), at least for sentencing purposes, is the lower 5-year statutory maximum of the 371 charge. |
Kostishion, Edward | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 19/11/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | CGX | ||
Laughlin, David Jr. | 2:20-mj-13401 | NJ | 08/09/2020 | Criminal complaint | 18 USC 371 | See Belter, M. criminal complaint | DME | |
Levit, Nadia | 2:19-cr-00247 | NJ | 05/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B) | See Williamsky, N. indictment | DME | |
Levit, Nadia | 2:19-cr-00247 | NJ | 25/09/2019 | Plea Agreement | 19 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | Plea to conspiracy to commit Healthcare fraud, wire fraud, and violations of the AKS. Loss figure agreed to be at least $126,903,879 | DME | |
Loewenstern, Elliot | 2:19-cr-00246 | NJ | 05/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(B) | See Harry, C. indictment | DME | |
Loewenstern, Elliot | 2:19-cr-00246 | NJ | 24/09/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(B) | Restitution agreement "in the amount of $200 million" | DME | |
Luke, Stephen | 2:20-mj-13401 | NJ | 08/09/2020 | Criminal complaint | 18 USC 371 | See Belter, M. criminal complaint | DME | |
McCubbins, Andrew | 2:20-cr-00826 | NJ | 24/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | McCubbins owned an unnamed telemedicine company that obtained Medicare beneficiary referrals from various call centers. The telemedicine company contracted with healthcare providers, including doctors and nurse practitioners, to prescribe CGx tests that were medically unnecessary and based on only a short telephone call with the beneficiary. A laboratory later billed Medicare for the prescribed tests and received over $89 million between Oct. 2018 and July 2019 | CGX | |
McLean, Kyle | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 25/09/2019 | Indictment | 19 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | See Kostishion, Edward Indictment | CGX | |
McLean, Kyle | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 05/06/2020 | Plea Agreement | 19 USC 371 | CGX | ||
Mohases, Christian | 2:20-cr-00824 | NJ | 24/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | Mohases owned several call centers that obtained doctors' orders for braces and CGx tests, which they then sold to DME companies and laboratories. Mohases received kickbacks from DME companies from $160-$385 for completed doctors' orders to support a reimbursement claim for a brace. To obtain those completed orders, Mohases used telemedicine companies to generate the orders, knowing that orders were not medically necessary and didn't comply with Medicare regulations regarding telemedicine. The kickbacks from the DME companies were disguised through "marketing agreements" as "raw leads" but were, in fact, completed doctors' orders. A similar kickback arrangement was alleged involving laboratories providing CGx testing | DME, CGX | |
Mohases, Christian | 2:20-cr-00824 | NJ | 24/09/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | DME, CGX | ||
Mustafa, Mohamad | 3:20-cr-00839 | NJ | 25/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b | See Salahaldeen, Reyad Indictment. | CGX | |
Ogdon, Bernard | 2:19-cr-00687 | NJ | 15/11/2018 | Complaint | 18 USC 1349 | Ogon was a medical doctor in New Jersey. According to the complaint, he was paid by several telemedicine companies to sign prescriptions for compounded medications regardless of medical need and without establishing a doctor-patient relationship. In many cases, Ogon never communicated at all with the patient. Ogon was paid a consultation fee for filled and paid prescriptions, so if a prescription was canceled, Ogon would not be paid. Marketing companies allegedly targeted beneficiaries of insurance plans, including TRICARE, for the compounded drugs and received a percentage fee when reimbursement claims were paid to the compounding pharmacies who submitted the claims. | PROV, CMPG | |
Ogdon, Bernard | 2:19-cr-00687 | NJ | 25/09/2019 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | Restitution amount agreed to be at least $24,216,303 | PROV, CMPG | |
Petrosyan, Nelly | 3:19-cr-00674 | NJ | 24/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b | Petrosyan operated US Orthopedics, a DME supply company. She paid bribes and kickbacks to various companies for Medicare beneficiary information that, in turn, was used to generate DME orders. To support those orders, Petrosyan paid kickbacks to unnamed medical professionals for "doctors' orders" for the braces, which were medically unnecessary and made only through a short telephone call (without a legitimate telemedicine consultation or doctor-patient relationship) | DME | |
Petrosyan, Nelly | 3:19-cr-00674 | NJ | 07/02/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 | |||
Plaisance, Kacey | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 25/09/2019 | Indictment | 19 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | See Kostishion, Edward Indictment | CGX | |
Plaisance, Kacey | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 06/05/2020 | Plea Agreement | 19 USC 371 | CGX | ||
Rae, David | 2:19-cr-00247 | NJ | 05/04/2019 | Criminal Complaint | 18 USC 1956(a)(3)(B) 18 USC 1956(h) | See Williamsky, N. indictment | DME | |
Rae, David | 2:19-cr-00247 | NJ | 13/12/2019 | Plea Agreement | 19 USC 1956(a)(3)(B) 18 USC 1956(h) | Plea to money laundering and money laundering conspiracy. In addition, plea agreement includes a plea to a separate count of money laundering in a case no. 18-cr-895 | DME | |
Rae, David | 2:19-cr-00247 | NJ | 07/02/2020 | Judgment | 20 USC 1956(a)(3)(B) 18 USC 1956(h) | Time served sentence | DME | |
Richey, Jeremy | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 25/09/2019 | Indictment | 19 USC 371 | See Kostishion, Edward Indictment | CGX | |
Roa, Luis | 2:20-cr-00825 | NJ | 10/01/2020 | Criminal Complaint | 18 USC 371 | Roa was a Chilean citizen charged with providing completed doctors' orders to DME companies. The complaint indicates that Roa obtained the orders via marketing call centers and telemedicine companies with which he had relationships. Roa was paid $280 for each doctor order that resulted in a paid Medicare claim. Roa received approximately $1.6 million in such kickbacks, and the DME companies that submitted the claims supported by the fraudulent orders were paid nearly $4 million between February 2017 and April 2019. | DME | Pull indictment and docket |
Roa, Luis | 2:20-cr-00825 | NJ | 24/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | Adds Section 1349 conspiracy charge | DME | |
Roa, Luis | 2:20-cr-00825 | NJ | 24/09/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 | DME | ||
Salahaldeen, Reyad | 3:20-cr-00839 | NJ | 25/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b | Salahaldeen controlled multiple diagnostic laboratories, one of which was co-owned with Mustafa; co-defendant Wills owned a marketing company focused on genetic testing. Wills paid marketers to collect DNA samples from insureds for purpose of CGx testing that was medically unnecessary. Salahaldeen and Mustafa paid kickbacks to obtain the samples, which were then used for CGx testing, for which Salahaldeen and Mustafa separately paid kickbacks to doctors to order the testing. Salahaldeen manipulated the "referring" and "reference" laboratories to attempt to elude detection and in violation of the federal limits on such referrals. | CGX | |
Sevumyants, Ruben | 3:18-cr-00462 | NJ | 12/09/2019 | Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 371 18 USC 1343 | See Khaimov, Indictment | ||
Shtindler, Yana | 3:18-cr-00462 | NJ | 12/09/2019 | Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 18 USC 371 18 USC 1343 | See Khaimov, Indictment | ||
Smith, Alleyne | 2:20-cr-00722 | NJ | 27/08/2020 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | |||
Smith, Alleyne | 2:20-cr-00722 | NJ | 27/08/2020 | Plea Agreement | 18 USC 1349 | |||
Stockett, Lester | 2:19-cr-00246 | NJ | 05/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(B) 18 USC 1956(h) | See Harry, C. indictment | DME | |
Stockett, Lester | 2:19-cr-00246 | NJ | 06/09/2019 | Plea Agreement | 19 USC 371 18 USC 1956(h) | Plea to conspiracy to commit violations of AKS and money laundering. Restitution agreement "in the amount of $200 million" | DME | |
Tamulski, Jeffrey | 2:19-cr-00693 | NJ | 25/09/2019 | Indictment | 19 USC 371 | See Kostishion, Edward Indictment | CGX | |
Welwart, Ethan | 2:20-mj-12359 | NJ | 02/09/2020 | Criminal Complaint | 28 USC 371 | DME | ||
Welwart, William B. | 2:20-mj-12359 | NJ | 02/09/2020 | Criminal Complaint | 28 USC 371 | DME | ||
Williamsky, Neil | 2:19-cr-00247 | NJ | 05/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1956(h) 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B) | The 32-page indictment alleges a sprawling international conspiracy using multiple named and unnamed companies to fraudulently bill Medicare for orthotic braces. Williamsky and co-defendant Levit controlled several DME, billing, and medical companies in New Jersey. Co-defendant Davydov owned other DME companies. All of those companies paid kickbacks, disguised as marketing payments, to several unnamed call center/marketing companies based in the Philippines in return for doctors' orders for orthotic braces. The call centers would solicit beneficiaries and refer them to telemedicine doctors to order braces regardless of medical necessity. The doctors orders or "completed leads" were then provided to the DME companies for billing to Medicare. Willamsky and co-defendant Rae separately are alleged to have conspired to launder the ill-gotten funds via shell corporations in Hong Kong controlled by Rae | DME | The owner of the Philippines marketing companies participated in the covert investigation and is referred to as CC-1 in the indictment |
Williamsky, Neil | 2:19-cr-00247 | NJ | 18/09/2019 | Plea Agreement | 19 USC 371 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1956(h) | Williamsky pleaded guilty to several counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, healthcare fraud, violations of the AKS, and money laundering. Parties agree that loss is at least $172,386,421. | DME | |
Wills, Travores | 3:20-cr-00839 | NJ | 25/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b | See Salahaldeen, Reyad Indictment. | CGX | |
Wilson, Jean | 2:20-cr-00111 | NJ | 31/01/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(B) 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1956(h) | See Wilson, R. indictment | DME | |
Wilson, Reinaldo | 2:20-cr-00111 | NJ | 31/01/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 42 USC 1320a-7b(b)(1)(B) 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1956(h) | The two Wilsons owned a series of telemedicine and related companies. They are alleged to have recruited doctors and other healthcare providers to order braces for Medicare beneficiaries. They solicited and received kickbacks for obtaining the doctor orders, and then transferred those orders to others to support false claims to Medicare. Company A was a patient recruiter; Company B was a DME company that supplied braces | DME | |
Yaish, Elan | 2:20-mj-12359 | NJ | 02/09/2020 | Criminal Complaint | 28 USC 371 | DME | ||
Naumovski, Gorgi | 1:20-cr-00384 | NY-E | 18/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | Naumovski owned a DME company, Lifesource, through which he paid for completed doctors' orders to support claims for braces and other DME. The payments were disguised as legitimate business expenses. The orders were signed by doctors without regard to medical necessity and were often based on only a short call with the beneficiary | DME | |
Steiner, Anna | 1:19-cr-00295 | NY-E | 27/06/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | Steiner is a physician from NY who contracted with an unnamed telemedicine company and its owner, through which she signed orders for DME and prescription drugs that were not medically necessary, were not the product of a doctor-patient relationship, and were obtained by illegal kickbacks to her. | PROV, DME | |
Swackhammer, Randy | 2:19-cr-00192 | PA-E | 29/03/2019 | Information | 18 USC 1349 | Swackhammer is a physician from who contracted with an unnamed telemedicine company, through which he signed orders for various braces (DME) that were not medically necessary, were not the product of a doctor-patient relationship, and were obtained by illegal kickbacks to him. | PROV, DME | |
Reddy, Ravitej | 2:19-cr-00357 | PA-W | 26/11/2019 | Information | 18 USC 371, 42 USC 1320a-7(b)(1)(A) | |||
Chimiel, Andrew | 3:19-cr-00299 | SC | 04/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1347 18 USC 371 18 USC 1341 18 USC 1001 18 USC 1956 42 USC 1320a-7b | In a lengthy indictment, Chmiel and multiple companies under his control were charged with a standard DME-related fraud. Chmiel purchased completed DME orders from offshore call centers. Doctors signed the orders for the DME via purported "telemedicine" consultations which did not establish a doctor-patient relationship or otherwise meet federal requirements. Kickbacks and bribes were disguised as sham invoices. | DME | |
Degnan, Alyssa | 3:20-cr-00585 | SC | 30/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Degnan, a South Carolina physician, was charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. The charges related to her role in a scheme in which she signed orders for cancer genetic testing (CGx). The CGx orders were procured from Medicare beneficiaries by a telemarketing company, which provided them to an unnamed telemedicine company. Degnan contracted with the telemedicine company and signed the orders without establishing a doctor-patient relationship or communicating with the patient. The completed orders would later be used by an unnamed laboratory to bill Medicare for the CGx testing. | PROV, CGX | |
Jah, Fatimah | 3:20-cr-00588 | SC | 30/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Gupta was a NJ-based physician who contracted with AfforAdoc, an entity that operated a network of different telemedicine company and that was owned by Creaghan Harry (separately charged, see Harry, C. indictment). Gupta signed doctors' orders for various types of braces based on a short telephone call with patients via the AffordAdoc network. The braces were medically unnecessary, not supported by a doctor-patient relationship, or otherwise inelgible under Medicare. Gupta was paid $30 per consultation to consult with beneficiaries; the completed brace orders were supplied to DME companies who submitted them to Medicare for reimbursement | PROV, CGX | |
Vanravenstein, Kathryn | 3:20-cr-00592 | SC | 30/09/2020 | Information | 18 USC 371 | Defendant was a doctor who contracted with a telemedicine company. The telemedicine company obtained Medicare beneficiary information from a marketing company. Defendant often signed the prescriptions after only reviewing clinical summaries and not speaking to the patients. The signed orders were used by an unnamed DME company to bill Medicare. | DME, PROV | |
Alpha-Omega Pharmacy LLC | 2:18-cr-140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1341 | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Assad, Andrew | 2:18-cr-140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1341 21 USC 331(a) | Assad was a pharmacist who owned Synergy, which in turn owned Precision Pharmacy Management. Large scheme involving prescription brokering, deceiving patients into obtaining (and deceiving doctors into prescribing) prescriptions, manipulating reimbursement by inflating the wholesale price they actually paid for the medications to the pharmacy benefit managers, failing to collect copays, and other misconduct. | CMPG | |
Bolos, Peter | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1341 21 USC 331(a) | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Bolos, Peter | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 02/12/2021 | |||||
ERX Consultants LLC | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Germaine Pharmacy Inc. | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Palso, Michael | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1341 21 USC 331(a) | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Precision Pharmacy Management LLC | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Smith, Larry Everett | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1341 | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Synergy Pharmacy Services, Inc. | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1341 | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Tanith Enterprises LLC | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
ULD Wholesale Group LLC | 2:18-cr-00140 | TN-E | 09/10/2018 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 | See Assad, A. indictment | CMPG | |
Sanders, Vernon | 1:20-cr-00004 | TN-M | 31/08/2020 | Informationc | 18 USC 371 | Sanders owned FastScripts, a company through which he paid kickbacks for marketing firms to gather Medicare beneficiary information and DNA samples for CGx tests. Sanders then paid doctors through telemedicine companies to sign off on orders, prepared by FastScripts, for CGx testing despite such testing not being medically necessary and not meeting Medicare eligibility requirements. Finally, Sanders provided the completed orders to laboratories who paid a kickback to him and others and, in turn, performed the testing and submitted claims to Medicare | CGX | |
Churchill, Steven | 4:20-cr-00252 | TX-E | 10/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 | |||
Harrington, Matthew | 4:20-cr-00108 | TX-E | 23/09/2020 | Information | ||||
Harrington, Miranda | 4:20-cr-00108 | TX-E | 23/09/2020 | Information | ||||
Rowland, William | 4:20-cr-00108 | TX-E | 23/09/2020 | Information | ||||
Solomon, Samson | 4:20-cr-00252 | TX-E | 10/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 | See Churchill Indictment | ||
Stadtman, Daniel | 4:20-cr-00252 | TX-E | 10/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 | See Churchill Indictment | ||
Warren, David | 4:20-cr-00252 | TX-E | 10/09/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 | See Churchill Indictment | ||
Canchola, Daniel | 3:19-cr-00473-S | TX-N | 18/09/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 | Canchola is a doctor who was an independent contractor for two unnamed telemedicine and staff companies. Canchola signed doctors' orders for CGx testing for Medicare beneficiaries without regard to medical necessity and without communicating with the patients. Canchola was paid approximately $30 for each order. The orders later were used by two unnamed laboratories that conducted the CGx test and billed Medicare | PROV, CGX | |
Canchola, Daniel | 3:19-cr-00473-S | TX-N | 26/02/2020 | Superseding Indictment | 18 USC 1349 18 USC 1347 | Additional counts added | PROV, CGX | |
Hagen, Leah | 3:19-cr-00146 | TX-N | 27/03/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1956(h) | Leah and Michael Hagen owned two DME companies, Metro DME Supply and Ortho Pain Solutions. According to the indictment, they conspired with a person operating two international call centers to receive doctors' orders to support the billing of Medicare for DME. They paid the call centers kickbacks, disguised as contracts for business consulting and marketing, in return for the completed orders. Telemedicine is referenced indirectly with respect to obtaining the doctors' orders, but is not specifically alleged. The indictment does allege that the DME was often ordered without medical necessity, an existing doctor-patient relationship, or a physical examination | DME | Trial set on October 23, 2020 |
Hagen, Michael | 3:19-cr-00146-B | TX-N | 27/03/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 18 USC 1956(h) | See Hagen, L. indictment | DME | |
O'Hara, Christopher | 19-cr-00231 | TX-W | 03/04/2019 | Indictment | 18 USC 371 | O'Hara owned 1stCare and ProfitsCentric, purported marketing and telehealth companies. Through those companies, O'Hara conspired with an unnamed co-conspirator, Person A, who operated two international call centers. O'Hara is alleged to have paid kickbacks, disguised as marketing services and consultations, to Person A in return for doctors' orders for DME. The indictment does not describe how Person A transferred those doctors' orders to a DME company who billed Medicare for them, but it alleges that between 2016 to 2019, DME companies were paid approximately $20 million. The allegations are different than the prototypical case because the telehealth is paying the call center instead of vice versa; the indictment does not indicate how the beneficiaries were identified or solicited in the first place | DME | Trial set in February 2021 |
Murall, Ravi | 3:20-cr-00072 | WI-W | 17/06/2020 | Indictment | 18 USC 1347 | Murali is a physician licensed in Wisconsin who contracted with varioius unnamed telemedicine companies through which he was paid $30 for each telemedicine consult completed. As part of those consults, Dr. Murali electronically sidgned orders for braces that contained false statements, including that he had spoken to and examined the patient, had established a doctor-patient relationship, and that the braces were medically necessary. | PROV, DME |
Defendant:
Case:
Juris:
Date:
Event:
Charges:
Summary of Allegations:
Categories:
Notes: