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Two people have been charged with healthcare fraud involving the alleged billing of $80 million to a federal workers’ compensation program over a five-year period.
Ricardo Cano, 46, of McAllen, and Rosita Cano Meeks, 56, of Edinburg, are facing an 18-count indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and 10 counts of healthcare fraud, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Cano is facing an additional seven counts of money laundering.
According to the news release, the indictment alleges that between 2014 and 2019, clinics operating under the name Texas Federal Wellness Center billed the Department of Labor – Office of Worker’s Compensation Program for physical therapy services provided to injured federal employees.
As of Thursday morning, the indictment was not yet publicly available.
“According to the indictment, Cano and Meeks allegedly caused the clinics to submit inflated claims for therapy, fictional medical visits, excessive therapy and fraudulent durable medical equipment,” the release stated. “The charges allege Cano and Meeks directed clinic employees to falsify patient checkout times on medical records to conceal the inflated therapy claims.”
Meeks was in charge of the fraudulent billing, according to the news release.
“The charges also allege Cano is not a physician,” the release stated. “He was only a physician’s assistant and allegedly instructed employees to refer to him as Dr. Cano.”
The release said that Cano entered into an arrangement with a physician to falsely give the appearance that the clinics were run by a licensed doctor who oversaw, managed and controlled the clinics.
“The charges allege Cano is, in fact, the true owner of the enterprise which he managed and controlled,” the release stated.
Cano is accused of coordinating with that physician to obstruct a Texas Medical Board inquiry into a complaint about his role in operating the clinics and the submission of false corporate records, according to the news release.
The news release does not identify that physician or say whether he is facing any charges or cooperating with the government.
“The indictment also alleges Cano transferred approximately $43 million from the Texas Federal Wellness Center clinics to various bank accounts in Cano’s name or in the name of clinics Cano controlled,” the release stated.
They were scheduled to make a first appearance in McAllen federal court Thursday afternoon.
