Herbert Leon Kimble, 60, a telemarketing operator at the center of one of the biggest Medicare fraud prosecutions in U.S. history, is back in federal custody after a fugitive stretch that ended in the Philippines, authorities say. Prosecutors allege his call-center operation steered Medicare recipients into medically unnecessary orthopedic braces, generating more than $1.2 billion in charges to the program. Kimble pleaded guilty in 2019 and was later listed as a fugitive after skipping a scheduled sentencing hearing in 2024.
According to federal officials, Kimble was arrested Saturday in the Philippines and flown back to the United States. Director Kash Patel announced the capture on social media, and investigators reportedly tracked Kimble to Manila before repatriating him to U.S. custody, as reported by Fox News. Authorities have not yet announced when Kimble will next appear in federal court.
How the scheme worked
From about 2014 through April 2019, investigators say Kimble ran offshore call centers that pushed orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries and then funneled prescriptions through telemedicine providers and durable medical equipment companies, which in turn billed Medicare, according to HHS-OIG. Officials say the network racked up more than $1.2 billion in Medicare charges and reached thousands of patients, most of them elderly. Kimble pleaded guilty in April 2019 to conspiracy and related counts, and a bench warrant went out after he failed to show for his 2024 sentencing.
Why the Most Wanted Fraudsters list matters
The arrest comes as the FBI leans into public shaming as a crime-fighting tool, putting high-value fugitive fraud suspects on a dedicated Most Wanted Fraudsters list to drum up tips and speed cross-border cooperation. Rolled out in early June, the list is designed to spotlight defendants tied to major frauds against federal programs and to keep their faces and allegations in public view. The FBI says the roster is meant to rally law enforcement partners and local communities to help track these fugitives down.
What’s next for Kimble
Because Kimble has already pleaded guilty, his decision to bolt before sentencing is likely to loom large when a judge finally decides how much time he serves. Any cooperation he previously offered will be weighed against his failure to appear, according to his public fugitive profile. HHS-OIG lists the charges tied to his plea as conspiracy to defraud the United States, submission of false claims, mail and wire fraud, health care fraud, and offering kickbacks. Those underlying offenses remain before the courts as officials sort out restitution and other penalties.
The capture underscores a broader federal push to claw back taxpayer dollars and hold organizers of large-scale Medicare scams to account. The FBI’s public wanted page for Kimble includes a poster and instructions for submitting tips, and investigators, along with HHS-OIG, continue to urge anyone with information about the case to come forward. FBI
