Four Convicted in $10 million DME Money-Laundering Scheme

MIAMI–A federal jury has convicted four Floridians in a complex
money-laundering scheme involving DME and prescription drugs, the
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida
announced.

According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

Carlos Gonzalez, 45, of Miami, and Isabel Guerra, 39, of Hialeah
Gardens, owners of United Pharmacy Discount and Ocean Medical
Supplies, along with employees Pura Medina, 37, or Hialeah Gardens,
and Isabel Canepa, 40, of Hialeah, paid kickbacks to patient
recruiters for bringing in Medicare-eligible patients, and to
patients themselves for the use of their names, identification
numbers and prescriptions for DME and drugs.

Once they had patient information, the defendants completed
Medicare-required orthotics measurement forms without ever having
measured the patient, forged the signatures of doctors on DME
prescriptions and created fraudulent patient files containing
manufactured and forged documents.

The defendants then attempted to launder the proceeds through a
person they believed was a professional money launderer–but who in
fact was a cooperating witness working for federal agents and
recording all of their transactions. By the end of the conspiracy,
Medicare had paid the defendants $10 million.

The jury ordered forfeiture of that amount, as well as houses,
boats, motorcycles and bank accounts. The investigation involved
agents from the FBI and HHS.