In a dramatic turn of events, a Fresno County podiatrist and a medical sales representative have admitted to defrauding the government healthcare system, as confirmed by U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. Felipe Ruiz, a 51-year-old podiatrist from Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, a 52-year-old sales rep from Clovis, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy aimed at swindling Medicare and Medi-Cal by submitting false claims concerning skin graft procedures. Court documents revealed the fraud ran from June 2021 through January 2024.
The scheme unfolded at West Coast Podiatry Inc., where Ruiz was practicing and which has offices in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties. Aguirre, whose job was supposed to be limited to selling skin grafts, instead took a more hands-on approach. He was actually applying these grafts himself to patients, a task for which he was not licensed nor qualified. Ruiz and Aguirre then made it to appear as if Ruiz, the licensed podiatrist, had done the work, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
Through this charade, the duo fraudulently billed Medicare and Medi-Cal for procedures Ruiz never performed, siphoning off government funds. Medicare and Medi-Cal were none the wiser and disbursed payments based on the fictitious claims. The kicker? Ruiz would then kick back part of the proceeds to Aguirre. Their collusion did not go undetected forever, as their actions caught the attention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is currently being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter.
Both men are now facing the music, awaiting sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on January 20, 2026. They could potentially be hit with up to a decade in prison and a $250,000 fine for their actions. It's clear that the court will have to closely look at the statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account varying aspects, before delivering their fate. However, the final decision will ultimately lie in the hands of Judge Thurston who has the discretion to determine the final penalties for Ruiz and Aguirre, as reported by the Department of Justice.
