Man Admits to $3.6 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

TRENTON, New Jersey—A Florida man admitted his role in a durable medical equipment (DME) kickback scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Steve Chicoye, 55, of Orlando, Florida, pleaded guilty on Feb. 29, before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

Chicoye and his conspirators solicited and received kickbacks and bribes in exchange for providing DME companies with completed doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary DME, such as orthotic braces. Chicoye and his conspirators utilized the service of telemedicine companies to obtain these prescriptions for DME, and the DME orders were subsequently fraudulently billed to Medicare and other health care benefit programs.

Chicoye and his conspirators were paid approximately $2.1 million in kickbacks for these DME orders and caused losses to Medicare and other health care benefit programs of at least $3.6 million.

The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.  Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6, 2024.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney DeNae Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.