Fugitive
Maelis Yanet Porto Fernandez
Fugitive Status | sentenced |
---|---|
Charges | Payment of kickbacks |
Amount of Arrears | $9,300,000 |
Investigation Details
Maelis Yanet Porto Fernandez was sentenced to over four years in prison and $9.3 million in restitution. Fernandez was apprehended January 11, 2016 in the Miami area.
Fernandez was charged on October 9, 2015 by criminal complaint for offering and paying health care kickbacks. A warrant for her arrest was also issued on that day.
Fernandez worked as a patient recruiter at many Miami area pharmacies, including O.M.G. Pharmacy Discount, Inc., Ultra Medical Services, Inc., and other Miami-Dade County pharmacies. Investigators believe that Fernandez participated in a prescription drug fraud scheme in which she was personally paid kickbacks, and also was in charge of the patient recruiters and would pay them for referring Medicare beneficiaries to the pharmacy.
- Health Care Fraud