Source: US FBI
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man today admitted his role in a health care fraud and kickback scheme that caused more than $4.8 million in losses to Medicare, United States Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Charles P. Kasbee, Jr., 48, of Palm Beach Shores, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark to an Information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From February 2019 to September 2019, Kasbee and his co-conspirators participated in a scheme to submit claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary cancer genetic screening (CGX) tests that were procured through a web of bribes and kickbacks. Kasbee utilized the services of marketing call centers, which employed deceptive telemarketing techniques to obtain Medicare beneficiaries’ personal and medical information. Then, Kasbee and others arranged for CGX testing kits to be sent to the identified beneficiaries. Once the CGX test kits were completed by the beneficiaries, the kits were shipped to a testing laboratory, which submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicare. Kasbee received kickback payments exceeding $1,200 for each CGX test resulting in Medicare reimbursement.
To conceal the scheme, Kasbee entered into contracts with his co-conspirators that falsely labeled kickback and bribe payments as “expenses.” Then, Kasbee and his co-conspirators created false invoices that disguised the true reasons for the kickback and bribe payments. Instead, Kasbee received payments based solely on the number of CGX tests that Medicare reimbursed, in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
As a result of the health care fraud and kickback scheme, Kasbee and his co-conspirators caused a loss to Medicare of more than $4.8 million.
Conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Silvestro; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett J. Schuman of the Health Care Fraud and Opioid Enforcement Unit.
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Defense counsel: Joshua S. Lowther, Esq., Atlanta, GA