Thousands of patients duped of over 1 billion; One of largest healthcare fraud schemes in US
The defendants allegedly paid doctors to prescribe the braces without meeting patients.
Washington: One of the largest healthcare frauds in American history caused more than USD 1 billion in losses after hundreds of thousands of patients were lured into the scheme, US investigators said Tuesday, announcing charges against 24 people.
The alleged scheme involved the provision of wrist, knee and other braces to elderly and/or disabled patients who did not need them, but who were covered by the Medicare public insurance system.
They were lured by an international telemarketing network involving call centres in the Philippines and Latin America, the Department of Justice said.
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"Proceeds of the fraudulent scheme were allegedly laundered through international shell corporations and used to purchase exotic automobiles, yachts and luxury real estate in the United States and abroad," DOJ said in a statement.
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