Man Sentenced in $3.2M DME Medicare Fraud Scheme

MIAMI—A foreign national was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare of more than $3.2 million through a sham durable medical equipment (DME) company.

According to court documents, Julian Lopez, 55, a citizen of Cuba who resides in Miami-Dade County, Florida, obtained Medicare beneficiary identification cards and sold Medicare beneficiaries’ personal information to a durable medical equipment company, One Medical Services. Lopez knew the Medicare identification cards he obtained would be used to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare. One Medical Services used the information from Lopez to bill Medicare for orthotic braces that were never provided to the Medicare beneficiaries. In connection with the scheme, One Medical Services submitted and caused the submission of over $3.2 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary DME.

Lopez pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud in February 2025. At sentencing, he was also ordered to pay $1,496,412 in restitution.

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 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 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. More information can be found at justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.