Florida DME Owner Sentenced

TAMPA, Fla. — The owner of two South Florida DME companies was sentenced Jan. 16 to eight years in prison for using stolen patient data to submit $7 million in false Medicare claims. According to prosecutors, the prison term handed down to 47-year-old Remberto Sarmiento of Miami was enhanced after the court found at the sentencing hearing he lied to FBI agents by stating he knew nothing about the two companies, APR Medical Equipment and Super Medical Supply.

In November, a jury found Sarmiento guilty of twenty counts of health care fraud. Sarmiento's attorney told reporters she had filed an appeal.