Fort Lauderdale Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Defraud Medicare In The Provision Of COVID-19 Test Kits
Summary
A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida dated Monday, November 25, 2024, announcing that Kevin Karl Wills, Jr., 48, of Ft. Lauderdale, pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive kickbacks for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries for COVID-19 tests and to purchase and sell Medicare beneficiary identification numbers. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. According to the plea agreement, he and a co-conspirator owned a company that engaged marketers who illegally obtained Medicare beneficiary identifying information and supplied it to medical service providers. The release states that the providers shipped COVID-19 tests, billed Medicare and paid the company and the marketers a set amount per reimbursed beneficiary.
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Press Release Fort Lauderdale Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Defraud Medicare In The Provision Of COVID-19 Test Kits Monday, November 25, 2024 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kevin Karl Wills, Jr. (48, Ft. Lauderdale) today pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive kickbacks in return for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries for the provision of COVID-19 tests and to purchase and sell Medicare beneficiary identification numbers. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Wills and a co-conspirator owned and operated a company that engaged marketers who illegally obtained Medicare beneficiary identifying information. They entered into “consulting” agreements with medical service providers whereby they introduced the marketers to the providers, and the marketers agreed to supply the providers with lists of Medicare beneficiaries and their identifying information, including their Medicare beneficiary identication numbers. The providers then shipped COVID-19 tests to the identified beneficiaries and billed Medicare for the tests, then paid both the defendant’s company and the marketers a set dollar amount per beneficiary. However, the providers paid this amount only if a claim submitted on behalf of a beneficiary was reimbursed by Medicare. Such payments were illegal kickbacks under federal law. The actions of Wills and his co-conspirators caused the submission of approximately 152,00 fraudulent claims to Medicare by several different medical service providers, which resulted in reimbursements from Medicare totaling approximately $14,405,700. Wills received a total of approximately $652,312 in kickbacks, which he agreed to forfeit to the government. One of the providers who purchased Medicare beneficiary identifying information was SWL Services, a business in Jacksonville, Florida. The owners and operators of SWL Services, Courtney Shauta’ Lewis (31, Jacksonville) and Latania Renee Smith-Washington (50, Jacksonville), pleaded guilty to the conspiracy on March 14, 2024, and are scheduled for sentencing on December 2, 2024. One of the marketers that Wills introduced to SWL Services, Noel Gary Beres (64, Sunny Isles), pleaded guilty to the conspiracy on August 27, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on April 22, 2025. This case was investigated by Health and Human Services–Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Harrington. Updated November 25, 2024 Topic Health Care Fraud Component USAO - Florida, Middle Related Content Press Release Multiple Conspirators Sentenced In $54.3 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Luis Lacerda (37, West Palm Beach) to three years and five months in federal prison, Omar Solari (36, Fort Lauderdale)... December 2, 2024 Press Release Nine Individuals Charged In Middle District Of Florida In Connection With Health Care Fraud Schemes Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces criminal charges against nine individuals in connection with alleged schemes to defraud programs entrusted for the care of the elderly... July 1, 2024 Press Release Chronic Disease Management Provider to Pay $14.9M to Resolve Alleged False Claims WASHINGTON – Bluestone Physician Services of Florida LLC, Bluestone Physician Services, P.A. and Bluestone National LLC, operating in Florida, Minnesota and Wisconsin, respectively, have agreed to pay $14,902,000 to resolve... June 5, 2024
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