State and federal leaders announced a major healthcare fraud bust in South Florida on Thursday, part of a nationwide investigation into billion-dollar fraud that resulted in hundreds of arrests.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced a takedown that led to charges against “455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.”
The Department announced the seizure of over $27 million in fraudulent Medicare payments in the Southern District of Florida alone, involving 12 clinics that billed Medicare millions of dollars for skin substitutes and wound care products that were never provided to patients.
Suspects facing charges in South Florida
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
- “Casilda Muniz Rodriguez, 57, of Hialeah, was charged by information with conspiracy to defraud the government in connection with her role setting up clinics in South Florida that fraudulently billed Medicare for over $117 million for skin substitutes and wound care products that were never provided.”
- “Dr. Jason Finkelstein, 53, of Fort Worth, Texas, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and health care fraud, in connection with an $89 million cardiovascular testing scheme.”
- “Eduardo Javier Ibarra Arrowsmith, 61, of Miami, was charged by criminal complaint with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to fraudulently certify naturalization applicants as disabled in order to exempt them from the English language and civics requirements of the U.S. citizenship naturalization test.”
- “Ibrahim Hilmi, 58, of Miami, was charged by indictment with health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering, in connection with a $3.76 billion health care fraud scheme.”
- “Giorgi Kimeridze, 43, a national of the country of Georgia, was charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with his role in a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit, and steal from Medicare, which was uncovered through Operation Gold Rush.”
- “Laura Seiler-Anstett, 55, of Coral Springs, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and health care fraud, in connection with a $58.3 million DME scheme.”
- “Rajiv Shah, 65, of Palm Beach Gardens, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and health care fraud, in connection with an over $64 million scheme to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary DME.”
- “Anthony Tursi, 39, of Boynton Beach, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks in connection with a $62 million scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic testing.”
- “Yilian Cruz, 36, of Miami Lakes, Inti Cruz, 55, of Miami Lakes, and Adaimis Perez Arencibia, 39, of Miami, were charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme involving over $1 million in fraudulently obtained Medicaid reimbursements for PSR services.”
- “Rene Yartu Couceiro, 57, of Miami, was charged by information with conspiracy to make false statements relating to health care matters in connection with a Medicaid and Medicare fraud scheme involving a Miami mental health clinic’s payment of “donations” in the form of cash payments to Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries for agreeing to receive psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy that was not all provided as represented.”
Fraud in South Florida
Prosecutors estimate Florida’s 2025 fraud total to be anywhere between $309 million up to a billion, and they’re taking action to put thieves out of business and behind bars.
“We’re indicting the fraudsters, we’re identifying the criminal networks responsible, and just as importantly, we’re taking back the money,” U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones said.
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The fraud can look like doctors performing fake tests, ordering braces for patients who don’t need them or billing for therapies that a patient never received.
“What the public sees here is different schemes, but the same objective: to exploit our healthcare system and steal from American taxpayers,” Quiñones said.
If convicted, some of the defendants arrested for fraud could face decades in prison.
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