Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Medicare Scam Fugitive Now Most Wanted

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
HHS
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

 A Miami man has been added to federal health officials' list of most wanted fugitives.

Sandy De La Fe was indicted last year on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud. Investigators say De La Fe owned a Miami pharmacy and participated in a prescription drug fraud scheme that bilked Medicare out of millions of dollars.

According to the indictment, De La Fe's co-conspirators paid patients to obtain prescriptions drugs. The false prescriptions, some of which were worth more than $1,000 a piece, were billed to Medicare Part D, even though the drugs were not medically necessary or not given to Medicare beneficiaries.

Authorities said Medicare paid roughly $2.8 million in false claims.

Investigators believe De La Fe may be hiding in Cuba.