Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Miami Herald - June 13, 2008
John Dorschner, jdorschner@MiamiHerald.com
Carlos and Luis Benitez were charged with referring Medicare beneficiaries to the clinics and ordering them to be paid kickbacks so that they would say they received legitimate services when in fact the services were not provided or were not medically necessary.
The clinics were: AH Medical Office Inc., Advanced Medical Rehabilitation Center Inc., Best Medi Corp., Physician's Health Med-Care, Physician's Med-Care Inc., Saint Jude Rehab Center Inc., Global Med-Care Corp., CNC Medical Corp., G&S Medical Centers Inc., Karla Medical Services Inc. and and Best Medicare Inc.
The indictment alleges that a third brother, Jose Benitez owned and operated one of the 11 clinics, Advanced Medical, and helped by submitting $10 million in false claims to Medicare.
Also charged was Thomas McKenzie, a physician's assistant at the clinics. Prosecutors accuse McKenzie of training physicians and providers on how to make bogus care appear legitimate.
McKenzie made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.
He told a federal magistrate that he had $200,000 in assets in Nicaragua, but could not readily access them and asked that a federal public defender be appointed to represent him.
Carlos and Luis Benitez each face a maximum of 155 years in prison.
Jose Benitez faces the possibility of 40 years, and McKenzie 50 years.
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