According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), law enforcement arrested Kateline Lavache of Hampton, GA on June 1, on criminal charges related to her alleged scheme to defraud Medicare. Lavache is accused of prescribing medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), which her co-conspirators billed to Medicare.
According to the indictment, Lavache allegedly prescribed medically unnecessary DME for Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for kickbacks and bribes from her co-conspirators. Lavache allegedly failed to perform proper consultations with the beneficiaries. According to the government, Lavache “had no prior relationship with the beneficiaries, was not treating them, and failed to even conduct telemedicine consultations with them.” As a result of the prescriptions, Lavache’s co-conspirators purportedly submitted approximately $8.8 million in false and fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary DME to Medicare. Medicare paid more than $4 million. Lavache allegedly received more than $123,000 in kickbacks and bribes.
The government charged Lavache with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as four counts of health care fraud. If convicted, she faces up to 60 years in prison.
The DOJ’s Fraud Section leads their Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, the program has charged more than 4,200 defendants.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The attorneys at Chilivis Grubman represent clients of all types and sizes in connection with criminal healthcare fraud and government investigations. If you need assistance with such a matter, please contact us today.