San Francisco and Los Banos Doctor Sentenced To Two Years in Prison in $3.2M Medicare Fraud Scheme

SAN FRANCISCO - Edna Calaustro was sentenced to 24 months in prison and Mele Saavedra was sentenced to 3 years' probation yesterday for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks involving the Medicare program, and health care fraud. The evidence at trial showed that beginning in approximately December 2006 and continuing through July 2011, Patrick Sogbein, the owner of Debs Medical Distributors, a Van Nuys durable medical equipment company, and his wife, Adebola Adefunke Adebimpe, the owner of Dignity Medical Supply, a Santa Clarita durable medical equipment company, submitted over 400 false and fraudulent claims to Medicare using fraudulent prescriptions and medical records prepared by Calaustro. The evidence also showed that Sogbein and Adebimpe worked with Calaustro, then a San Francisco-based physician, and street level recruiters, including Eduardo Abad and Saavedra.

Read more on www.justice.gov

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