Ex-NFL player Rufus French has been sentenced to more than 16 years behind bars over his role in Medicare fraud worth nearly $200million.
The 48-year-old tight end – who spent time with the Seahawks and Packers – ‘orchestrated a brazen, yearslong scheme that preyed on elderly patients and the families of disabled and deceased veterans,’ the government said.
He stole millions from Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) by ‘selling patient information and sham doctors’ orders for orthotic braces that patients did not want or need.’
French must also pay nearly $111m in restitution and forfeit around $17m that the government ‘seized from bank accounts and other assets.’
‘Fueled by lies, bribes, and overseas telemarketers, this corrupt scheme preyed on senior citizens and disabled veterans to flood the country with unnecessary medical devices – and then billed the taxpayer for it,’ said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division.
‘Today’s sentence makes clear that if you target America’s elderly, sick, or vulnerable – and rob America’s purse doing so – you will be targeted and brought to justice.’
Ex-NFL player Rufus French has been sentenced to more than 16 years behind bars over his role in Medicare fraud worth nearly $200million
French was convicted of ‘hiding behind overseas call centers, sham telemedicine companies, and straw‑owned DME suppliers’ to exploit ‘some of the most vulnerable people these programs were created to protect.’
A court heard how the 48-year-old worked with foreign call centers that put pressure elderly Americans to provide personal and health insurance information ‘and agree to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces.’
In certain cases, the justice department said, ‘the call centers altered call recordings to make it seem like Medicare patients agreed to the braces when they did not.’
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