Health Care: Miami Man Held in Massive Medicare Fraud

The owner of seven Medicare clinics in Miami and Orlando was arraigned on January 4th on charges of submitting $55 million in false claims to Medicare for reimbursement. Ihosvany Marquez was arraigned in federal court in Miami on the charges. The government further alleges that Marquez and his co-conspirators collected approximately $22 million from Medicare between 2005 and 2007 based on the phony billings.

The alleged fraudulent billings were for purported HIV and cancer services. The government alleges that the treatments for which the clinics billed Medicare were neither prescribed by physicians nor administered to patients. The schemers used straw men to collect the funds who then passed the money to Marquez and others. The straw men, who could be readily identified by Medicare, were to flee the country to avoid arrest.

The government alleges that Marquez purchased $2.7 worth of luxury automobiles including two Lamborghinis, two Bentleys, at least eight Mercedes Benzes, and a Ferrari. In addition, he is alleged to have acquired more than $500,000 worth of jewelry and watches. Finally, the government alleges that Marquez spent more than $1 million to purchase thoroughbred horses.

A co-defendant of Marquez has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. A second co-defendant fled last summer after post bond of $500,000. As a result, Marquez is being held without bail.

For more information, please see The Miami Herald, January 4, 2010, http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1408952.html.