A Santa Paula doctor has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after admitting to his role in a Medicare fraud scheme that cost the government over $3 million. Dr. Victor Contreras, a 69-year-old Ventura County physician, was convicted of filing fraudulent claims for hospice services that were not medically necessary, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.
According to court documents, from July 2016 to February 2019, Contreras, along with co-defendant Juanita Antenor, formerly of Pasadena, submitted nearly $4 million in bogus claims through Arcadia Hospice Provider Inc., and Saint Mariam Hospice Inc., which Antenor controlled. In the process of conviction, the judge also ordered him to pay back $3,289,889 in restitution.
While Dr. Contreras has faced the consequences of his actions, Antenor remains at large. Moreover, an associate, Callie Black of Lancaster, alleged to have recruited patients for the hospice companies, continues to deny her part in the scheme, with her trial set for March 4, 2025, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California. In the eyes of the law, Black remains innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation was a cooperative effort by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the California Department of Justice. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section and Aylin Kuzucan of the General Crimes Section head the prosecution of the case, which continues to unwind the deep-seated deception embedded in this fraud.
