Miami

Owners of two separate home medical equipment companies were arrested and charged with Medicaid fraud, according to state Attorney General Robert Butterworth and Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle.

Juan B. Gutierrez and his wife Dulce Gutierrez, owners of Caribbean Medical, Coral Springs, were charged with organized fraud and Medicaid provider fraud. They could face up to 35 years in prison and $15,000 in fines, as well as administrative penalties for the improper destruction of Medicaid records and patient files.

“Caribbean Medical submitted claims to the Medicaid program for patients who had never been to the medical equipment business,” Butterworth said. “In other instances, patients purchased equipment during one visit and Caribbean Medical continued to submit claims for multiple items of equipment not ordered and not provided to the patients.”

The company submitted $200,000 in claims to Medicaid last year, Butterworth said.

In another case, investigators arrested three people and were hunting another on charges that included health care fraud and impersonating a physician. Operating from four medical facilities, including an HME company, the four are suspected of submitting more than $500,000 worth of fraudulent Medicaid claims.

Those arrested included Marco Cabrera, who was charged with Medicaid provider fraud, organized fraud and practicing medicine without a license; Carlos Manzano, charged with Medicaid provider fraud, organized fraud and patient brokering; and Mario Mirabal, owner of Alt Rubian Orthopedic, an HME company, charged with Medicaid provider fraud and organized fraud.

Noelia Valido at press time in mid-May was also being sought on charges of organized fraud, conspiracy to commit Medicaid fraud and two counts of practicing medicine without a license.

Each could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for each count.