FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Two Palm Beach County men pleaded guilty last week for their roles in defrauding Medicare by submitting more than $67 million in false claims for genetic testing and durable medical equipment patients didn't need and procured with kickbacks.
The pleas by Daniel M. Carver, 36, of Boca Raton, and Louis “Gino” Carver, 32, of Delray Beach, came Friday after four days of a trial before District Judge Aileen M. Cannon in Fort Pierce as part of the Southern District of Florida.
Five other defendants in this case have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Three defendants are scheduled for a trial set to commence on Sept. 26.
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According to court documents, Daniel Carver owned and managed call centers to conduct deceptive telemarketing campaigns targeting Medicare beneficiaries to solicit them for unnecessary genetic testing and durable medical equipment.
Louis Carver worked for these call centers and acted as a straw owner for a laboratory that submitted false genetic testing claims, prosecutors said.
Daniel Carver pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive kickbacks. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
Louis Carver pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled sentencing on Dec. 5 for them.
Department of Justice prosecutors said the Carvers and their co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies in exchange for completed doctors’ orders, sold doctors’ orders to laboratories and durable medical equipment companies in exchange for kickbacks, forged doctors’ and patients’ signatures, and tricked medical providers into ordering medically unnecessary genetic testing.
Between January 2020 and July 2021, they submitted the false claims to Medicare for tests and medical equipment.
The FBI and Human Services Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Since March 2007, this health care fraud program, composed of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. Eighty experienced white collar prosecutors are part of the program.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes.
