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Sunday, December 22, 2024

Florida man sentenced to eight years for role in healthcare kickback scheme

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U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe | U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe | U.S. Department of Justice

A Florida man has been sentenced to 96 months in prison for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar durable medical equipment (DME) kickback scheme, announced Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna, District of New Jersey, and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe, Southern District of Florida.

Kareem Memon, 34, of Coral Springs, Florida, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Raag Singhal to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Judge Singhal imposed the sentence on May 29, 2024, in the Southern District of Florida.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

Memon and his conspirators owned and operated marketing call centers and telemedicine companies through which they obtained doctors’ orders for DME for Medicare beneficiaries without regard to medical necessity. Memon and his conspirators provided doctors’ orders in exchange for bribes from DME companies that provided the braces to Medicare beneficiaries. Memon and his conspirators caused losses to Medicare exceeding $11 million.

On Sept. 21, 2023, Memon pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering, and felon-in-possession charges in a separate case before Judge Singhal. Memon submitted fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $451,000 in forgivable Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and used those funds for personal gains. At the time of Memon’s arrest he was a felon found unlawfully in possession of an arsenal of 12 firearms and ammunition.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Singhal sentenced Memon to three years of supervised release.

Attorney Khanna and U.S. Attorney Lapointe credited special agents from various agencies including the FBI under Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; Acting Special Agent in Charge Maged Behnam in Miami; Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General under Acting Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service under Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Solecki; and U.S. Department Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General under Special Agent Christopher F. Algieri with leading today’s sentencing investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht from District New Jersey along with Assistant U.S Attorneys Robin Waugh from Southern District Florida while Assistant U.S Attorney Mitchell Hyman handled asset forfeiture.

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