Man Accused of Involvement in $70M Medicare Fraud Scheme

A Mississippi man is facing charges in connection with a massive $70 million Medicare fraud scheme, according to the Justice Department. Joel Rufus French, 46, was indicted in Tampa last week and appeared in court in Oxford, Mississippi after being summoned. The FBI Tampa Field Office and HHS-OIG are currently investigating the case.

French is accused of using bribes to obtain doctors’ orders for unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME) and creating a network of co-conspirators who received kickbacks in a scheme involving orthotic braces. Court documents revealed that French failed to disclose his role in running multiple DME companies to Medicare and allegedly charged the program $70 million for fraudulent reimbursements.

The charges against French include conspiracy to defraud the United States, illegal health care kickbacks, health care fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. If convicted, he could face up to twenty-five years in prison for each charge.

This case is just one of three medical fraud cases the Justice Department has dealt with this week. In addition to French’s charges, a New Jersey doctor was sentenced for illegally distributing oxycodone, and two other doctors were sentenced for their involvement in a fraudulent drug testing scheme.

The Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which operates in 27 federal districts, has charged over 5,400 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. French’s case serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat healthcare fraud and protect taxpayer dollars.