CONVICTED: largest health care fraud scheme ever, $1.3 Billion

A federal court in the Southern District of Florida found a health care facility owner guilty on Friday for his role in the largest health care fraud scheme ever charged by the Justice Department. Involving over $1.3 billion in fraudulent claims related to services that were not provided, were not medically necessary, or were procured through the payment of kickbacks.   After an eight-week trial, Philip Esformes, 50, of Miami Beach, Florida, was convicted of:

-one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States,

-two counts of receipt of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program,

-four counts of payment of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program,

-one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering,

-nine counts of money laundering,

-two counts of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery,

-and one count of obstruction of justice

Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

Read the DOJ’s News Release here