South Florida Resident Charged With Receiving Millions From Filing Fraudulent COVID-19 Testing Reimbursement Claims
Summary
A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida dated Wednesday, March 20, 2024, announcing the unsealing of an indictment charging Willie F. Murray, Jr., 55, of West Park, with six counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. It states that he faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and that the United States intends to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account and seven real properties in Florida. According to the indictment, he was the registered agent and manager of Lab Tess, LLC, which purportedly provided COVID-19 testing but provided no such services, and he used it to claim reimbursement from the Health Resources and Services Administration for testing of uninsured individuals.
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Full text
Press Release South Florida Resident Charged With Receiving Millions From Filing Fraudulent COVID-19 Testing Reimbursement Claims Wednesday, March 20, 2024 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Willie F. Murray, Jr. (55, West Park, FL) with six counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Murray faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count followed by a consecutive two years of imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count. The indictment also notifies Murray that the United States intends to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account, and seven real properties located in Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Belle Glade, Hollywood, and South Bay, Florida, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. According to the indictment, Murray was the registered agent and manager of Lab Tess, LLC, 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 than 126,000 fraudulent claims and received reimbursement in the approximate amount of $5.6 million, which he used, in part, to purchase real properties in South Florida. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It will be 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 calling 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 March 20, 2024 Topics Coronavirus Disaster Fraud Financial Fraud Identity Theft Component USAO - Florida, Middle Related Content Press Release Pasco Man Found Guilty Of Witness Tampering, Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, And Obstructing Justice Sentenced To 27 Years In Federal Prison Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Javier Monserrate Vazquez (47, Wesley Chapel) to 27 years in federal prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to... May 23, 2024 Press Release “Sovereign Citizen” Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison For $3.4 Million Tax Fraud Scheme, Filing A False Lien, And Absconding While On Bond Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker today sentenced Judy Grace Sellers to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to submit false tax returns and defraud the... May 22, 2024 Press Release Winter Garden Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Aggravated Identity Theft Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Michael Barrington Douglas (52, Winter Garden) to two years and one day in federal prison, followed by one year... May 22, 2024
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