Undocumented Immigrants Draining social services?

A Clinic owner has been sentenced to 2.5 years (30 months) for defrauding Medicare 10.9 Millions which this sentence is far too light. Not only do we need to clean up this medicare fraud cesspool but we need to be sending a very strong signal to each of these criminals that the game is over, find something ethical or positive to do for your fellow taxpayers Citizens or pay real penalties. I am sure these people look at 2.5 years in federal camp as a great way to make 100x what they would have made in an honest job. With this sentencing, we continue to send the signal that white collar crime does pay. Very wrong signal. At the same time we need to expose that the real criminals which draining social services are not Undocumented Immigrants are the Owners, Hospital CEO's, CFO's,and the list goes on and on.

Nayda Freire, 61, was sentenced Wednesday to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $8 million in restitution for defrauding Medicare in connection with a $10.9 million HIV infusion fraud scheme.

Freire pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with her role as the owner of Global Med-Care Corp., a Miami-area HIV clinic that claimed to provide HIV infusion services to Medicare beneficiaries.

Freire admitted that, between April and November 2003, she and others conspired to file $10.9 million in false claims to the Medicare program for HIV infusion services that were not provided and were not medically necessary.

Patients were given kickbacks in return for agreeing to allow Global Med-Care to bill Medicare for the unneeded services.

Freire admitted that she and co-conspirators transferred $6 million to sham management, marketing and investment companies owned and operated by Carlos, Luis and Jose Benitez.

Carlos and Luis Benitez and Thomas McKenzie were charged separately with health care fraud and money laundering crimes in an indictment unsealed on June 11.

On Sept. 18, McKenzie pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of submitting false claims to the Medicare program, and also admitted his role in a $119 million HIV infusion fraud scheme. The Benitez brothers remain fugitives.