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Another Miami Medicare Fraudster Escapes to Cuba After Bilking the US Govt. Out Of $56 Million

Sad thing is, Why did the Federal Authorities wait so long before cracking down on these Crooks? They knew it was going on just as they knew of the large for Fee Immigrant smuggling rings leaving almost daily from Cuba. Little wonder our Medicare system is in trouble ! "Jose Luis Perez and his business partner, Reinaldo Guerra, made $56 million off Medicare by billing the government program for artificial limbs no one needed or received, authorities say.

Perez, described by the FBI as an ''international traveler,'' fled Miami-Dade County for either Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica or Mexico before agents could arrest him, said bureau spokeswoman Judy Orihuela.

Guerra, arrested last week, will learn Wednesday whether he will be held behind bars before trial on charges of conspiring with Perez to defraud the taxpayer-funded healthcare system for the elderly from 2002 to 2004.

The partners submitted $179 million in false Medicare claims through 21 Miami-Dade medical-equipment companies using ''straw owners'' to disguise their ownership, according to a federal indictment unsealed last week. The pair, both 33 years old, are also charged with stealing physician identification numbers from the Internet to prescribe prosthetic arms and legs, along with other medical supplies.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Osborne has recommended that Guerra be held before trial because the government considers him a flight risk."

http://www.miamiherald.com/459/story/1131637.html?pageNum=2&mi_pluck_a...

By miamimike on Jul 7, 2009, 20:42 in Off Topic.

miamimike says on Jul 8, 2009, 07:08:

Yep--because of these Crooks, they make it difficult for anyone Legit needing Medicare supplies and services. Its incomprehensible how long the Feds allowed these Scamsters to operate. The Area Congress Persons(illena ros lehtinen and the 2 diaz balart brothers, all cubans btw, HAD to have wind of these scams taking place in their congressional districts) yet stood by for years and did NOTHING to stop or bring attention to the massive fraud taking place. Its been going for years only now its getting Attention and Action because in the push for Healthcare Reform, Fraud has to be rooted out and stopped so as not to divert these precious dollars needed to pay for legit reform. What kills me is where does the "Fear of Castro" go with these Cubans when they arrive here? First thing when they step off the smugglers boats is to ask US immigration for Political Asylum, due to their profound fear of persecution by Castro, then a few months/years they run back to Fidel. All Hipocracy, they need to repeal the Cuban Freedom/adjustment act of 1967 that grants Cubans these blanket benefits/fast track residency immediately. These Benefits are the Magnet that draws these Scammers here! Put them on the same level playing field as all other immigrants, see if they are in such a hurry to come here then,,,If they are over 65 they(cubans) get all these Benefits(medicare, medicaid,SSI, USDA food stamps, free transit passes, plan 8 housing) AND never had to work or pay a day into the System as we Americans have to. They are treated better then a US Military Veteran who served their country and that's simply NOT fair or correct.

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