MIAMI – Two Miami healthcare providers were sentenced Thursday for their roles in a $31 million Medicare fraud scheme, prosecutors say.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Dean Zusmer, 54, was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison and ordered to pay $1,404,200.97 in restitution. Dr. Lawrence Alexander, 45, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison.
Prosecutors said the scheme involved submitting claims for costly durable medical equipment (DME) that was not needed by the beneficiaries.
According to court documents, Zusmer was a chiropractor who conspired with others to steal millions of dollars from Medicare.
Zusmer owned one of four durable DME companies that collectively billed Medicare over $31 million for medically unnecessary equipment, “of which over $15 million was paid,” prosecutors said.
Source: Miami chiropractor, surgeon sentenced in $31 million Medicare fraud scheme / Local10.com