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Child
Support Enforcement
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| September 2003 |
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In Florida, a man was sentenced to 12 months in prison, 12 months probation, 25-hours community
service and ordered to pay full restitution for failure to pay child support. As of August 2003,
he owed approximately $56,000 in overdue support. In the early 1990’s, the man was ordered
to pay $55 a week for his child who suffered from severe autism. Shortly thereafter, the man inherited
nearly $750,000 and then virtually disappeared, leaving no trace of employment or even a residence
for 10 years. Investigation revealed that while the custodial parent was receiving assistance from
Medicaid, the man progressively spent all of the money on suspected drug usage and trips to Norway.
In 2002, he was located living in a rural area in Washington State.
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Durable
Medical Equipment
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| September 2003 |
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In Michigan, a man was sentenced to 63 months incarceration and ordered to pay $1 million in restitution
for defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and a private insurer. In addition, the man forfeited $1 million
in assets obtained through the fraud. As an owner of a durable medical equipment company, the man
persuaded elderly patients to purchase motorized wheelchairs they did not need.
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Prescription
Drug Fraud
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| September 2003 |
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In Florida, as a result of a joint investigation with the Food and Drug Administration, three
subjects were sentenced for their role in a scheme to defraud Medicare. The three subjects were
each sentenced to serve time in jail and were ordered to pay a combined total of $31,000 in restitution.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the defendants were engaged in a scheme to traffic
in what was purported to be Procrit but was actually water. Procrit is a Medicare covered drug
for the treatment of anemia for use by cancer and HIV patients.
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Ambulance
Companies
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September 2003
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In Illinois, a man was sentenced to 2 years probation and ordered to pay a $100 fine for false
statements. The man, who worked for an ambulance service, lied to agents about destroying ambulance
run sheets and other pertinent evidence at the ambulance service.
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Nursing
Home
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September 2003
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In Illinois, a bookkeeper at a nursing home was sentenced to 12 months incarceration and ordered
to pay the nursing home $23,000 in restitution for theft of monies from an entity receiving Federal
funds. As the bookkeeper, the woman had complete charge and signature authority on all of the patient
trust fund accounts. Over a two-year period, she embezzled over $23,000 from the accounts of the
most vulnerable residents with no next of kin and who were wards of the State. The bookkeeper took
money from a woman who had no money, died, and subsequently had to be buried in a paupers’ field
with no headstone. She used the funds for drinking at local bars and gambling at riverboat casinos.
As part of her sentence, she must seek mental health assistance, along with alcohol and gambling
abuse counseling.
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