Home Health & Hospice Week

A vast Medicare fraud conspiracy in South Florida has resulted in lengthy prison sentences for a husband and wife.

Rodolfo and Marta Pichardo owned “at least” six fraudulent home health agencies, three fraudulent therapy staffing companies, and two fraudulent pharmacies, the Department of Justice says in a release. The Pichardos paid kickbacks to patient recruiters for home health referrals, and kickbacks to physician practice owners and operators for bogus home health prescriptions, among other misdeeds, according to the feds. Their many tactics included using nominee owners, changing names and locations, and creating shell companies to accomplish the fraud.

“After arriving in the United States from Cuba on a raft seeking refuge and a better life,” the Pichardos “proceeded to build a vast empire of fraud,” the DOJ says. They used the proceeds from the $38 million, long-running scheme to buy “multiple properties, high-end vehicles, expensive jewelry, plane tickets, vacations, cosmetic procedures, and more, both for themselves and their family members,” the release says.

Rodolfo Pichardo was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison and Marta Pichardo was sentenced to eight years in prison for her role in the scheme. Other co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced, including family member Jesus Fonseca to five years in prison.