Assisted Living Facility Owners Charged In Kickback Scheme

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Ten owners of assisted-living facilities in Miami-Dade County have been indicted on charges that they received kickbacks for referring residents to a pharmacy for medications and durable medical equipment.

Charged were Marlene Marrero, 60, of Miami; Blanca Orozco, 69, of Miramar; Norma Casanova, 67, of Miami Lakes; Yeny De Erbiti, 51, of Miami; Rene Vega, 57, of Miami; Maribel Galvan, 43, of Miami Lakes; Dianelys Perez, 34, of Miami Gardens; Osniel Vera, 47, of Hialeah; Alicia Almeida, 56, of Miami Lakes and Jorge Rodriguez, 57, of Hialeah, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami.

The owners reportedly referred residents at their facilities to the former owner of Florida Pharmacy, Inc., to receive medications and medical equipment funded through the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The indictment alleges that the defendants received kickbacks and bribes and also made false representations to the Medicaid program.

"This extensive investigation uncovered a massive kickback scheme targeting our seniors, but working together with our great federal partners, this health care fraud scheme has been thwarted and 10 suspects are now in police custody," Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.