Broward County Man Sentenced To Prison For Filing Thousands Of Fraudulent COVID-19 Testing Reimbursement Claims, And Ordered To Forfeit Over $5.6 Million And Properties

Summary

A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida dated Thursday, January 23, 2025, announcing that U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Willie F. Murray, Jr., 55, of West Park, to five years and one month in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. It states that he was ordered to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account and six real properties, and that he pleaded guilty on September 20, 2024. According to the release, he managed Lab Tess, LLC, which purportedly provided COVID-19 testing but provided no such services, and used it to claim reimbursement from the Health Resources and Services Administration for testing of uninsured individuals. The claims used identifying information of incarcerated and deceased individuals.

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Press Release

Broward County Man Sentenced To Prison For Filing Thousands Of Fraudulent COVID-19 Testing Reimbursement Claims, And Ordered To Forfeit Over $5.6 Million And Properties

Thursday, January 23, 2025

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Willie F. Murray, Jr. (55, West Park) to five years and one month in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered Murray to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account, and six real properties located in Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Belle Glade, Hollywood, and South Bay, Florida, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Murray entered a guilty plea on September 20, 2024.

According to court documents, Murray was the registered agent and manager of Lab Tess, LLC (Lab Tess), a Florida company that purportedly provided its customers COVID-19 testing services. In fact, Lab Tess provided no such services. Murray used Lab Tess to submit fraudulent claims for reimbursement to the Health Resources and Services Administration for COVID-19 testing services supposedly provided to uninsured individuals. To complete the illegal scheme, Murray used personal identifying information of individuals incarcerated by the Florida Department of Corrections, individuals falsely reported as having been tested at homeless shelters and electrical substations, and deceased individuals. Murray submitted more than126,000 fraudulent claims and received reimbursement in the approximate amount of $5,671,611, which he used, in part, to purchase real properties in South Florida.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Suzanne Nebesky.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by contacting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Updated January 23, 2025

Topics

Coronavirus

Disaster Fraud

Financial Fraud

Identity Theft

Component

USAO - Florida, Middle

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