Six Miami-area residents, including three former loan officers, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida this week to participating in a fraudulent scheme designed to enrich real estate developers by selling condominium units to straw buyers.
Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. O’Neil of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Phyllis Robinson of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of the Inspector General (HUD-OIG) in Miami and Acting Inspector General Michael P. Stephens of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) made the announcement.
Today, Leidy Masvidal, 42, of Miami, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Marcia G. Cooke to conspiring to commit bank fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 24, 2014. Alfredo Jesus Chacon, 48, of Orange Park, Florida, and Francisco Martos, 63, and Dorian Wong Magarino, 49, both of Miami, also pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud and mail fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Ursula Ungaro. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2014.
On May 14, 2014, Tania Masvidal, 49, and Douglas Ponce, 40, both of Miami, each pleaded guilty before Judge Cooke to conspiring to commit bank fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2014.
According to the defendants’ plea agreements and other court documents, the defendants participated in a scheme to pay straw buyers to submit false loan applications to lending institutions to purchase condominiums owned by co-conspirators. Leidy Masvidal and Tania Masvidal used a mortgage brokerage they owned, EZY Mortgage Inc., to arrange financing for the purchases. Because the straw buyers were not credit-worthy, the Masvidals secured loans in their names by submitting to lending institutions loan applications and other fraudulent documents containing false statements about the buyers’ income, employment and assets, and falsely stating that the buyers intended to reside in the properties. Additionally, the Masvidals enabled their co-conspirators to secretly fund the buyers’ obligations to pay money at closing (known as “cash to close” obligations) by establishing shell corporations, which the co-conspirators used to funnel cash from conspirators to the escrow account used at closing, as well as paying the straw buyers. The co-conspirators compensated the Masvidals for their role in the scheme by sending kickback payments taken from the loan proceeds to the Masvidals’ shell corporations for every straw buyer identified.
According to admissions in court records, Martos was a former loan officer at a mortgage company known as State Lending who helped secure financing for straw buyers in exchange for kickbacks by procuring false employment documents and by including false information in buyers’ loan applications. Chacon and Ponce recruited straw buyers to purchase properties owned by co-conspirators in exchange for kickbacks paid from the sales proceeds. Chacon also allowed a company that he controlled to be used as a false employer for the straw buyers. Magarino accepted payments to act as one of Chacon’s straw buyers and recruited other straw buyers into the scheme. For the properties in which Margarino acted as the straw buyer, he represented to the lender that he personally met his cash-to-close obligations when in fact he knowingly paid these costs with funds supplied by conspirators.
Many of the straw buyers defaulted on their loans after the conspirators stopped making their mortgage payments on their behalf, causing millions of dollars in losses to lenders.
On March 31, 2014, Luis Mendez, Stavroula Mendez, Luis Michael Mendez, Lazaro Mendez, Marie Mendez, Wilkie Perez and Enrique Angulo were indicted in the Southern District of Florida for their alleged participation in this scheme. They have pleaded not guilty and trial is currently set for Sept. 8, 2014. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by HUD-OIG and FHFA-OIG. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Gary A. Winters and Brian Young of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Tag Archives: Ursula Ungaro
Medical Clinic Owner Pleads Guilty in Miami for Role in Multiple Health Care Fraud Schemes Totaling Over $20 Million
The owner and operator of a Miami medical clinic pleaded guilty today in connection with multiple health care fraud schemes involving the defunct clinic Merfi Corp.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami Office made the announcement.
Isabel Medina, 49, of Miami, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro of the Southern District of Florida to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 14, 2014.
According to court documents, Medina was an owner and operator of Merfi, a Miami medical clinic which employed physicians, physician assistants and other medical professionals who were authorized by law to dispense prescriptions for home health care services. Through Merfi, Medina and her co-conspirators provided fraudulent home health and therapy prescriptions and other medical documentation to the owners and operators of Flores Home Health Care Inc. and other home health care agencies, as well as to patient recruiters, in return for kickbacks and bribes.
Flores Home Health and these other home health care agencies purported to provide home health and therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries, but were in fact operated for the purpose of billing the Medicare program for, among other things, expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided.
Medina has acknowledged that her involvement in fraudulent schemes at multiple home health care companies, including Flores Home Health, resulted in losses to the Medicare Program exceeding $20 million.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney A. Brendan Stewart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,700 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5.5 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov .
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami Office made the announcement.
Isabel Medina, 49, of Miami, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro of the Southern District of Florida to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 14, 2014.
According to court documents, Medina was an owner and operator of Merfi, a Miami medical clinic which employed physicians, physician assistants and other medical professionals who were authorized by law to dispense prescriptions for home health care services. Through Merfi, Medina and her co-conspirators provided fraudulent home health and therapy prescriptions and other medical documentation to the owners and operators of Flores Home Health Care Inc. and other home health care agencies, as well as to patient recruiters, in return for kickbacks and bribes.
Flores Home Health and these other home health care agencies purported to provide home health and therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries, but were in fact operated for the purpose of billing the Medicare program for, among other things, expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided.
Medina has acknowledged that her involvement in fraudulent schemes at multiple home health care companies, including Flores Home Health, resulted in losses to the Medicare Program exceeding $20 million.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney A. Brendan Stewart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,700 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5.5 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov .
Medical Clinic Owner and Other Patient Recruiters Plead Guilty in Miami for Roles in $8 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
Several patient recruiters, including a medical clinic owner, pleaded guilty today in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving Flores Home Health Care Inc., a defunct home health care company.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami Office made the announcement.
At a hearing held before U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro of the Southern District of Florida, Lerida Labrada, 59, of Miami, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and Mayra Flores, 49, and German Martinez, 36, both of Miami, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and receive health care kickbacks, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 14, 2014.
According to court documents, the defendants worked as patient recruiters for the owners and operators of Flores Home Health, a Miami home health care agency that purported to provide home health and physical therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. Labrada also owned and operated a Miami medical clinic that provided fraudulent prescriptions to patient recruiters and to the owners and operators of Flores Home Health.
Flores Home Health was operated for the purpose of billing the Medicare program for, among other things, expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary and/or were not provided.
The defendants would recruit patients for Flores Home Health and would solicit and receive kickbacks and bribes from the owners and operators of Flores Home Health in return for allowing the agency to bill the Medicare program on behalf of the recruited Medicare patients. These Medicare beneficiaries were billed for home health care and therapy services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided.
From approximately October 2009 through approximately June 2012, Flores Home Health was paid approximately $8 million by Medicare for fraudulent claims for home health services.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney A. Brendan Stewart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,700 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5.5 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov .
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami Office made the announcement.
At a hearing held before U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro of the Southern District of Florida, Lerida Labrada, 59, of Miami, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and Mayra Flores, 49, and German Martinez, 36, both of Miami, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and receive health care kickbacks, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 14, 2014.
According to court documents, the defendants worked as patient recruiters for the owners and operators of Flores Home Health, a Miami home health care agency that purported to provide home health and physical therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. Labrada also owned and operated a Miami medical clinic that provided fraudulent prescriptions to patient recruiters and to the owners and operators of Flores Home Health.
Flores Home Health was operated for the purpose of billing the Medicare program for, among other things, expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary and/or were not provided.
The defendants would recruit patients for Flores Home Health and would solicit and receive kickbacks and bribes from the owners and operators of Flores Home Health in return for allowing the agency to bill the Medicare program on behalf of the recruited Medicare patients. These Medicare beneficiaries were billed for home health care and therapy services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided.
From approximately October 2009 through approximately June 2012, Flores Home Health was paid approximately $8 million by Medicare for fraudulent claims for home health services.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney A. Brendan Stewart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,700 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5.5 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov .