Health Care

Florida businessman convicted in $1 billion Medicare scheme

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A Florida businessman was convicted Friday in what prosecutors called one of the largest ever Medicare fraud cases in U.S. history. 

Philip Esformes was found guilty on 20 charges, including paying bribes and kickbacks to doctors to get referrals to his nursing homes and assisted living facilities, as well as obstruction of justice for plotting to help a co-conspirator escape the country, according to The Associated Press.

{mosads}Prosecutors say Esformes billed nearly $1 billion to Medicare for “questionable services” that patients didn’t need or receive. 

Esformes made off with $37 million for himself, prosecutors said, using some of that money to bribe the University of Pennsylvania basketball coach to get his soon into school. 

Esformes was also found guilty of money laundering and bribing a regulator for information about when his facilities would be inspected.

Jurors were undecided on six counts, including Medicare fraud conspiracy.

Esformes has been in jail since 2016 and could face decades in prison. His attorneys said they will appeal.

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