Jury: Medical equipment company owner defrauded Medicare, Medicaid
McALLEN — An Edinburg man was convicted of healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with his durable medical equipment company.
A jury found 41-year-old Juan De Leon guilty of three counts of healthcare fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Jurors deliberated for one hour after a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Randy Crane.
During the trial, prosecutors said De Leon used Weslaco-based United DME Inc. to direct the submission of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
Prosecutors said De Leon billed or directed his staff to bill Medicare and Medicaid for diabetic supplies and other items that were not delivered. Those other items allegedly included power wheelchairs; patients instead were provided with less-expensive scooters that many couldn’t operate, prosecutors said.
De Leon even filed claims for chairs that were delivered after the patients had died, prosecutors said.
To cover his tracks, De Leon altered records, backdated delivery dates and forged patients’ signatures, prosecutors said.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI and the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
After the trial, De Leon was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service until his sentencing hearing in December.
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Ildefonso Ortiz covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4437.
