A Florida woman who owned and managed durable medical equipment companies was convicted in a scheme that submitted more than $8.6 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare, the Justice Department said.
Sophie Dufort, 57, of Gainesville, conspired with Paula Pirone, 70, of Ocala, and others to bill Medicare for orthotic braces using fake doctors’ prescriptions, according to court documents and evidence presented at trial.
The Justice Department said the prescriptions came from marketing companies that used high-pressure calls to obtain Medicare beneficiaries’ information. Medical practitioners were paid to sign prescriptions without examining patients, or doctors’ credentials were stolen to create forged prescriptions.
Dufort and her co-conspirators shipped braces to beneficiaries and billed Medicare even when recipients did not want or need the equipment, prosecutors said. When some people complained and sought to return the braces, they were told to dispose of them or pass them along, according to the department.
A medical expert testified that some combinations of braces could be dangerous for older Medicare patients, the Justice Department said.
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The jury convicted Dufort of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, two counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and offer and pay illegal kickbacks, and offering and paying illegal kickbacks.
Dufort faces up to 20 years in prison for the health care and wire fraud conspiracy. The other counts carry additional potential prison terms. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 2027. A federal judge will determine her sentence after considering sentencing guidelines and other factors.