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Editor: Mike Bothwell
Profession: Qui Tam Attorney

Category: Settlements and Verdicts

Since 2004, fifty-six fugitives have been charged with filing at least $272 million in fraudulent Medicare claims in the Miami-Dade area. Thirty-three of the fugitives are Cuban immigrants who escaped justice using Cuban Passports.

An assistant special agent for the FBI's Miami office said that Medicare fraud has increased in certain segments of South Florida's Cuban-American population. He indicates that these groups work together to commit fraud. This is similar to the "rackets" that have sprung up in the past among populations of immigrants from Armenia, West Africa and Russia.

Due to the extradition policy in Cuba, it is difficult to bring these fugitives back for prosecution once they have fled. U.S. Senator Mel Martinez condemned Cuba for harboring the fugitives. Rarely have they been turned over by their government. By contrast, countries such as the Dominican Republic have extradition policies and agreements with the U.S. In June of 2004, Dominican authorities turned over three Medicare fraud fugitives. Federal authorities are working with the Dominican Republic to track down other fugitives.

A U.S. District Court Chief Judge in Miami issued a memo to magistrate judges warning of flight risks. Federico Moreno, U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of Florida, said that "someone from Cuba can flee back to Cuba just like someone from Mexico." He urges that a new awareness needs to be in effect.