Falsely Billed For Bogus Medical Therapies Whereas Purportedly Overseas
Six people, 5 from Massachusetts and one from New York, have been charged with orchestrating a medical insurance fraud scheme that sought over $1 million in reimbursements for falsified medical bills purportedly incurred throughout worldwide journey.
The accused embrace Brendon Ashe, 40, of Dorchester; Aqiyla Atherton, 36, of Roxbury; Darline Cobbler, 40, of Randolph; Henry Ezeonyido, 36, of Brockton; Ariel Lambert, 34, of Brooklyn, NY; and Chinenye Nwodim, 36, of Brockton. Every faces one depend of well being care fraud, as detailed in a just lately unsealed grievance. All six defendants had been launched underneath particular situations after preliminary appearances in federal courtroom in Boston.
The grievance alleges that the defendants submitted claims to 4 totally different medical insurance firms for costly medical remedies they claimed to have obtained and paid for out-of-pocket whereas touring overseas. These remedies allegedly associated to traumatic accidents corresponding to stabbings, hit-and-run accidents, and gunshot wounds, necessitating hospitalization abroad. Nevertheless, it’s asserted that the defendants had been truly in america through the durations they claimed to be receiving medical care overseas. Furthermore, some defendants are mentioned to have obtained unrelated medical providers within the U.S. concurrently with their supposed hospitalizations abroad.
The defendants allegedly supported their fraudulent claims with fabricated documentation, together with pretend financial institution data, falsified medical data, and bogus police stories. In a number of cases, the main points of those claims and their supporting paperwork had been reportedly practically similar, overlaying dates of service, nations of alleged damage, and the character and circumstances of those accidents.
Appearing United States Lawyer Joshua S. Levy emphasised the severity of the alleged crimes, stating, “These defendants allegedly fabricated over $1 million in insurance coverage claims for accidents that by no means occurred, in a brazen abuse of our healthcare system. This sort of deceit is just not solely unlawful but additionally victimizes each law-abiding individual by diverting assets from these actually in want and driving up prices for everybody.”
Jodi Cohen, Particular Agent in Cost of the FBI Boston Division, remarked, “Yesterday, the FBI charged six individuals whose guiding compass seems to have been greed. We consider they feigned accidents they by no means suffered and submitted bogus claims for medical therapy rendered in abroad hospitals they by no means set foot in.”
Inspector in Cost of america Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, Ketty Larco-Ward, added, “These people allegedly lied and mentioned they sustained accidents or sickness and needed to pay substantial healthcare prices whereas overseas for his or her medical wants. We allege that they then fraudulently requested their medical insurance carriers to reimburse them for these fictitious prices, together with by utilizing the U.S. Mail.”
Anthony M. DiPaolo, Government Director of the Massachusetts Insurance coverage Fraud Bureau, said, “Insurance coverage Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts is dedicated to combating this criminal activity by way of vigilant investigation and collaboration with our companions. Insurance coverage fraud harms everybody and undermines belief within the insurance coverage system.”
The cost of well being care fraud carries potential penalties of as much as 10 years in jail, as much as three years of supervised launch, and a wonderful of as much as $250,000, or twice the gross achieve or loss from the offense. Sentences are decided by a federal district courtroom choose primarily based on the U.S. Sentencing Pointers and related statutes.
