A Florida man pleaded guilty for his role in a scheme that defrauded Medicare and other benefit programs of at least $3.6 million.
Conspirators including Steve Chicoye, 55, of Orlando, received kickbacks and bribes in exchange for providing durable medical equipment companies with completed physician's orders for medically unnecessary medical equipment, according to a March 1 news release from the Justice Department. Mr. Chicoye and others involved used telemedicine companies to relieve the prescriptions, which were then fraudulently billed to Medicare and other healthcare programs.
Mr. Chicoye and his conspirators were paid approximately $2.1 million in kickbacks for the orders and defrauded Medicare of at least $3.6 million, according to the release.
Mr. Chicoye pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, which is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greater, according to the release. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6.