TWO FLORIDA MEN PLEAD GUILTY IN HEALTH CARE FRAUD INVESTIGATION INVOLVING RURAL HOSPITALS

James Porter, Jr., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and Sean Porter, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, both on January 5, 2023, in U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Our investigation found that the Florida residents conspired with others to unlawfully bill for approximately $1.4 billion of laboratory testing services which were medically unnecessary, and they fraudulently used rural hospitals as billing shells to submit claims for services that were mostly performed at outside laboratories. As a result of this scheme, Amtrak’s health care plans paid out more than $610,000 to three rural hospitals and associated laboratories. Both defendants will be sentenced at a future date. Criminal judicial proceedings for additional co-conspirators are pending.