Fugitive
Lazaro Raul Betancourt
Fugitive Status | sentenced |
---|---|
Charges | Health care fraud, kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit Health care fraud |
Known Associates | Elisabet Martinez |
Investigation Details
Lazaro Raul Betancourt and his wife, OIG Most Wanted Fugitive Elisabet Martinez, were arrested on December 6, 2012, after they arrived at Miami International Airport. Betancourt and Martinez are in custody and are awaiting criminal prosecution.
In June 2012, Betancourt was indicted on charges of health care fraud, kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Betancourt was an employee of Universal Scripts, Inc. (Universal), a Miami-based pharmacy.
Betancourt and his co-conspirators allegedly defrauded the Medicare system by paying kickbacks and bribes for prescriptions that were used to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare.
Universal was paid approximately $7 million from Medicare for medical items and services allegedly provided by Universal.
On April 15, 2013, Betancourt pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Betancourt was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months of incarceration and ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution, joint and several.
- Health Care Fraud