Medicare Fraudsters Sentenced in Florida, Texas

A Harlingen, Texas, couple who operated a durable medical equipment company were sentenced for defrauding Medicare by billing about $14 million for wheelchair parts and repairs for just 37 beneficiaries between 2019 and 2023. Jeremiah Yzaguirre received 110 months in prison and Maria Luisa Yzaguirre received 80 months; both admitted they were paid for work never performed, including falsely billing about $736,000 for repeated replacement of parts for one beneficiary. They were ordered to pay nearly $9.25 million in restitution and a $25,000 fine, and investigators said they used fraud proceeds to buy cryptocurrency, a luxury car, electronics, collectibles and purses.