It’s not every day that you hear about someone getting caught for ripping off millions from Medicare, but that’s exactly what happened recently in Florida.
A Cuban national named Julian Lopez was sentenced to 30 months in prison after authorities uncovered his role in a large-scale scam that defrauded Medicare out of more than $3.2 million.
How the Scam Worked and What Lopez Did
So, here’s the deal: Lopez, 55, was living in Miami-Dade County and somehow got hold of Medicare beneficiary ID cards.
Then, he sold the personal information from those cards to a company called One Medical Services, which claimed to provide durable medical equipment like orthotic braces.
The problem? These braces were never actually given to the Medicare beneficiaries.
Instead, One Medical Services used the stolen info to file fake claims, billing Medicare for over $3.2 million worth of unnecessary equipment.
Lopez knew exactly that these cards would be used for fraudulent claims but went ahead anyway.
Legal Consequences and Restitution Ordered
Back in February 2025, Lopez admitted guilt on two counts of health care fraud.
At his sentencing, he was ordered not only to serve prison time but also to pay nearly $1.5 million in restitution to make up for the losses.
Who Made the Arrest and Prosecuted the Case
This investigation was a joint effort. The FBI teamed up with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) in Miami to track down and build the case against Lopez.
Top officials from both agencies, including Matthew R. Galeotti from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, announced the sentencing.
Assistant Chief Emily Gurskis and Trial Attorney Owen Dunn from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section handled the prosecution.
Their team is part of a larger strike force dedicated to cracking down on health care fraud across the country.
The Bigger Picture: Fighting Health Care Fraud Nationwide
The Fraud Section has been leading the charge against health care fraud for years through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program.
Since 2007, this program, which operates in 27 federal districts, has charged thousands of defendants who bilked health programs and insurers out of billions.
Medicare and Medicaid authorities, working closely with HHS-OIG, continue to clamp down on providers involved in these schemes, aiming to protect taxpayer money and ensure honest care for patients.
For those interested, more details on these efforts are available on the Department of Justice website at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.