Criminals Bilk Medicare of Billions Each Year - AARP Bulletin November 2009

They indulge their wildest whims—a private helicopter, Lamborghini sports cars, thoroughbred horses, even a “Pirates of the Caribbean” water theme park. For the schemers and scammers, Medicare fraud is one crime that does pay—and pay and pay. The Benitez brothers of Miami—Carlos, Luis and Jose—can vouch for that, federal prosecutors say. The brothers, who operated fake storefront clinics there, were indicted last year on fraud charges after allegedly collecting $84 million from Medicare for phony medical treatments. They spent their Medicare millions on the helicopter, the horses, a rental car agency and tourist hotels—all items the government is now trying to seize and reclaim for taxpayers. To read more, go to: http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/medicare/articles/criminals_bilk_med...