In what encapsulates a brazen assault on public trust and funds, Florida man Ted Albin has been convicted for his elaborate role in defrauding Medicare to the tune of millions, as per the announcement from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton. Albin’s conviction came at the conclusion of a 12-day trial before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, culminating a saga of deceit that manipulated the Medicare system for his own gain.
During the trial, it was revealed that from roughly 2016 through April 2021, Albin operated Grapevine Professional Services, a company that was at the heart of this scam. Grapevine, along with three other companies connected to Albin and his sister Erin Foley—Liberty Bell Medical, Skye Medical, and Priority Medical—submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare using prescriptions bought with kickbacks. According to the evidence presented, they relentlessly exploited forged doctor’s signatures, and paid little heed to whether patients actually needed the medical equipment for which they billed Medicare, the U.S. Attorney's Office reports.
This systematic ploy led the Albin-linked companies to bill Medicare for in excess of $38 million. From this staggering number, Medicare disbursed upwards of $12 million. "He cheated Medicare out of millions meant for real patients with every taxpayer footing the bill," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton commented on the gravity of Albin's offense. Albin, the 48-year-old from Stuart, Florida now faces multiple charges with maximum sentences that could confine him to prison for decades, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Albin's sentencing is slated for December 10, following his conviction for one count each of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. The judicial action stands as a stern message to any individuals contemplating similar fraudulent acts, with Mr. Clayton praising the "outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General." This case is the responsibility of the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Kinder, Jackie Delligatti, Ryan Finkel, and Brandon Thompson orchestrating the prosecution’s efforts, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
