https://westorlandonews.com/florida-residents-sentenced-for-93m-health-care-fraud-money-laundering-scheme/

A Florida man and woman were sentenced for their roles in a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud Medicare by billing over $93 million for home health therapy services that were never rendered.

42-year-old Karel Felipe, of Miami Shores, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison. 54-year-old Tamara Quicutis, of Hialeah, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison. The court also ordered forfeiture of fraud proceeds. Both defendants were convicted in October 2023 after a jury found them guilty of conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Felipe and Quicutis conspired with others to submit false bills to Medicare for three home health companies located in Michigan. Their co-conspirators recruited individuals from Cuba to sign Medicare enrollment documents and appear as the owners of the home health agencies to conceal the identities of Felipe, Quicutis, and others involved in the scheme. Felipe, Quicutis, and their co-conspirators used these home health companies to submit claims for services that were not rendered using lists of stolen patient identities. Felipe, Quicutis, and their co-conspirators used dozens of shell companies and hundreds of bank accounts to launder the Medicare fraud proceeds and convert the proceeds into cash at Miami-area ATMs and check cashing stores.

Four additional Florida residents were previously sentenced in the case. 52-year-old Jesus Trujillo, of Miami, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court also entered a forfeiture money judgment against him for the amount involved in money laundering, $44,351,817, and ordered forfeiture of two real properties to satisfy that judgment.

44-year-old Didier Arcia, of Davenport, was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. 41-year-old Alexey Gil, of Miami, was sentenced to five years and five months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. 33-year-old Jeffrey Avila, also of Miami, was sentenced to time served and supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Mahmood of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.

The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Jamie de Boer, D. Keith Clouser, and Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes.