Owner of Miami home healthcare agencies convicted in $57 million Medicare fraud scheme
Owner used three agencies to submit millions in fraudulent Medicare claims, the Department of Justice said.
The owner and manager of three home healthcare agencies, all located in the Miami area, has been convicted in a scheme that defrauded Medicare for $40 million, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.
Khaled Elbeblawy, 39, was convicted following a trial of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay healthcare kickbacks, as well as wire fraud.
According to the DOJ, Elbeblawy managed Willsand Home Health Agency Inc. and owned JEM Health Health Care LLC and Healthy Choice Home Health Services Inc, all located in Miami-Dade County. Evidence at trial showed that between January 2006 and May 2013, Elbeblawy and co-conspirators used the three companies to submit $57 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare, all based on services that were medically unnecessary, never provided, or ascertained through doctors and patient recruiters who were receiving kickbacks, the DOJ said.
The DOJ also said evidence showed that Medicare paid roughly $40 million of the claims submitted through the scheme.
The FBi and Office of the Inspector investigated the case as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which operates in nine cities nationwide. The U.S. Attorney's office confirmed Elbeblawy will be sentenced in early April in Miami.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn
