South Florida Business Journal Monday, October 5, 2009, 4:54pm EDT

http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2009/10/05/daily12.html

Two Miami clinic operators have been convicted in what investigators say was a $51 million HIV infusion fraud case.

Scarlet Duarte was convicted of conspiracy to launder money and money laundering, and Rechart Garcia was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks, conspiracy to launder money and money laundering.

According to the evidence presented at trial, the fraud involved purported treatment of HIV-positive Medicare beneficiaries at five clinics in Miami-Dade County, and a sixth that operated in Collier and Lee counties.

They are alleged to have paid Medicare beneficiaries to pretend to receive treatment at the clinics, and then billed Medicare for treatment that was never provided and would not have been medically necessary, according to a news release from the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

In all, the clinics submitted approximately $51.8 million in fraudulent claims, of which Medicare paid them about $21.1 million.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 14.

Fifteen others were previously convicted of, or are awaiting sentencing for, various fraud and money laundering charges related to the operation of the same six clinics.