Fake hospices were opened to tap federal funding.
The Department of Justice facilitated the arrest of five California residents charged with defrauding Medicare of more than $15 million in a years-long scheme. The scammers opened fake hospice companies, created bank accounts, and falsified property leases to submit false Medicare claims and receive Medicare funding.
Many fraudulent claims the group submitted came from fake doctors, saying that their non-existent patients were terminally ill and required hospice services for end-of-life care. “In some instances, the defendants falsely claimed that the same beneficiary received services from multiple sham hospices.” the Justice Department wrote.
If these five individuals are convicted on the charges of identity theft, money laundering, and health care fraud, they could each face a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For DOJ officials as they work to prosecute the falsification of records and the defrauding of Medicare.
- For U.S. federal law enforcement as they investigate healthcare and medical scams.
Sources: Department of Justice
