NEW YORK – The US Department of Justice said this week that two Florida men have pleaded guilty to a $67 million Medicare fraud scheme.
According to the DOJ, between January 2020 and July 2021, Daniel Carver and Louis Carver submitted more than $67 million in false Medicare claims for unnecessary genetic testing and durable medical equipment. Daniel Carver owned and managed a call center that he used for telemarketing campaigns soliciting Medicare beneficiaries for testing and equipment, while Louis Carver worked at the call centers and acted as a straw owner for a lab submitting false genetic testing claims.
The Carvers and co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies in exchange for completed doctor's orders and sold those orders to labs and durable medical equipment companies. They also forged doctors' and patients' signatures.
Daniel Carver pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the US and to pay and receive kickbacks. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Louis Carver pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Both will be sentenced on Dec. 5.
Five other defendants in the case have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Three defendants are scheduled for a trial to start on Sept. 26.