Fugitive Sentenced for Million Dollar DME Fraud Scheme

MIAMI—A Miami federal district judge sentenced a fugitive to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a multimillion-dollar conspiracy to commit money laundering. The judge also ordered him to pay $3,709,860 in restitution.

From August 2020 to August 2022, Julio Arsenio Rodriguez, 62, of Hialeah, Florida, conspired with a network of South Florida clinics to submit millions of dollars in fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid for durable medical equipment (DME) that was medically unnecessary and that was not provided to the patients. Also, Rodriguez served as the legal owner and registered agent of several fictitious companies which he used to launder those health care fraud proceeds.

In March 2023, Rodriguez failed to appear at a calendar call and a federal judge issued a warrant for his arrest. Eight months later, Rodriguez was located in the Dominican Republic, attempting to open businesses there. In November 2023, Rodriguez surrendered to the United States authorities and returned to Miami to face charges for the money laundering conspiracy. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in January.

FBI Miami, HHS-OIG Miami, and the Florida Office of the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) investigated the case. The U.S. Marshals Service Office of International Operations (OIO) Dominican Republic Foreign Field Office (DRFFO) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Caribbean Division Financial Investigative Team assisted in securing the arrest and deportation of Rodriguez back to the United States. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Canzio prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon handled asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at flsd.uscourts.gov or at pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20541.