3 March – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced today that defendant Rosa Walled pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonoga to an Information charging her with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in relation to two medical clinics that operated in Miami during 2004 and 2005.
According to the Information, Walled and her co-conspirators offered and paid money to Medicare patients to recruit them to the unidentified clinics, located at 2250 Southwest 3rd Avenue and 1330 Coral Way. These clinics purported to specialize in the treatment of patients infected with AIDS or HIV. When the patients arrived at the clinics, they were either not provided medical services or were provided services that were medically unnecessary.
Walled and her co-conspirators caused the submission of bills to Medicare for the non-rendered or unnecessary services, and Medicare paid more than $2,000,000 as a result of the fraudulent claims.
Walled faces a maximum statutory sentence of ten (10) years’ imprisonment plus court-ordered restitution to Medicare when she is sentenced later this year.
United States Attorney Acosta noted that the Walled prosecution is the result of his Office’s health care fraud initiative, announced December 1, 2005. These prosecutions, supported by federal and state investigators, strive to arrest and quickly pursue criminal charges in certain investigations. The initiative is part of a broader effort to attack health care fraud schemes that affect government funded health insurance programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, in South Florida.
Acosta also noted that in the first five months of the current fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2005, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought 24 new criminal health care fraud cases, charging 39 defendants, involving allegations of over $10 million in losses to health insurance programs, primarily Medicare.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This matter is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney William J. Parente Jr.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
