In a turn of events addressing the ongoing battle against healthcare fraud, Florida's Michael G.V. Comino has been handed a 22-month prison term for his role in a healthcare kickback conspiracy. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Comino was also ordered to return more than $2 million to Medicare.
Comino, a former co-owner of Kestrel Medical LLC, engaged from August 2019 in the illegal activity, supplying durable medical equipment, such as orthotic braces. He illicitly provided "leads" to Kestrel for kickback payments, in turn, to two companies he owned. In February 2020, he continued to ramp up these activities despite taking on a fifty percent ownership of Kestrel. "The United States Attorney Office prioritizes efforts to stop healthcare fraud and will continue to hold accountable individuals who intentionally misuse Medicare and Medicaid dollars," said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard G. Frohling, in a determination to not let such acts go unchecked, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As the investigation unfolded, court records revealed that Comino and his co-defendant disguised the kickbacks as payments for marketing hours, effectively hoodwinking the Medicare system. Due to their conspiracy, Medicare disbursed upwards of $2 million to Kestrel, with Comino lining his pockets with hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2019 and 2020. "Individuals like Mr. Comino must face the consequences of their actions that defrauded the American people and wasted taxpayer money," FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle declared as per the U.S. Attorney's Office, signaling a stern warning to potential fraudsters.
Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), emphasized the gravity of the issue, stating on U.S. Attorney's Office, "The conduct in this investigation highlights a scheme whereby the defendant prioritized profits over patient care, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute." He confirmed that together with law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to tirelessly work to protect the integrity of federal health care programs. With these collaborative efforts, the FBI and HHS-OIG were able to bring this case to a close, leading to Comino's conviction which Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully successfully prosecuted.
