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[image: Your Daily Update] December 11th, 2011 Main Justice » $205

Million Medicare Fraud Case Ends in 35-Year Sentence »

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$205 Million Medicare Fraud Case Ends in 35-Year Sentence

Posted By Stout On December 9, 2011 @ 12:50 pm In News | No

Comments<http://www.mainjustice.com/2011/12/09/205-million-medicare-fraud-case-e\

nds-in-35-year-sentence/print#comments_controls>

Even by health care-fraud standards, the amount was staggering — some $205

million — and it has just resulted in the longest prison sentences ever in

a Medicare Fraud Strike Force Case, the Department of Justice has

announced<http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/December/11-crm-1604.html>

[1].

*Judith Negron*, 40, was sentenced on Thursday to 35 years in prison for

orchestrating the fraud, the DOJ said. Two other conspirators, *Lawrence

Duran *and *nella Valera*, were sentenced earlier to 50 years and 35

years respectively, the DOJ said.

In sentencing Negron, U.S. Judge * Lawrence King *of the Southern

District of Florida ordered her to help her co-defendants pay more than $87

million in restitution and to undergo three years of supervision after she

is released from prison, which could be when she is about 70 years old,

assuming she gets time off for good behavior.

As Main Justice

reported<http://www.mainjustice.com/2010/10/21/two-fla-companies-executives-char\

ged-in-200-million-medicare-fraud/>

[2] when the defendants were indicted last October, they were accused of

setting up companies that would arrange with the owners of assisted-living

facilities to bring patients to a mental health center for medically

unnecessary therapies. The companies would bill Medicare for the services

and pay the assisted-living facilities and some patients kickbacks for

their roles in the enterprise.

On Aug. 24, 2011, Negron was found guilty of 24 felony counts, including

conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to

pay and receive illegal health care kickbacks, conspiracy to commit money

laundering, money laundering and structuring to avoid reporting

requirements, the DOJ said.

Duran and Valera, who were romantically involved, pleaded guilty earlier.

According to an

account<http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/medicare-money-paid-for-posh-lif\

e-for-owners-989221.html>

[3] in The Palm Beach Post, they used their illicit earnings to finance a

life style that included travel, beachfront condos, a fleet of luxury cars

and other privileges of wealth.

Negron’s sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General *Lanny A.

Breuer* of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney *Wifredo

A. Ferrer *of the Southern District of Florida; Special

Agent-in-Charge* V. Gillies

* of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent-in-Charge *

Dennis* of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector

General, the DOJ said.

Article printed from Main Justice: *http://www.mainjustice.com*

URL to article: *

http://www.mainjustice.com/2011/12/09/205-million-medicare-fraud-case-ends-in...\

<http://www.mainjustice.com/2011/12/09/205-million-medicare-fraud-case-ends-in-3\

5-year-sentence/>

*

via

mainjustice.com<http://www.mainjustice.com/2011/12/09/205-million-medicare-fraud\

-case-ends-in-35-year-sentence/print/>

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