Harlingen couple admits to defrauding Medicare in $14M wheelchair scheme

A Harlingen couple operating a medical business pleaded guilty Tuesday to defrauding Medicare out of millions of dollars.

Jeremiah Yzaguirre, 46, and his wife, Maria Luisa Yzaguirre, 45, admitted to receiving millions of dollars for parts and repairs that were never performed or provided by their business, Southwest Medical Homepatient, in Harlingen, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced in a press release.

Their business was enrolled with Medicare as a provider of durable medical equipment and services which claimed to provide parts and repairs for power wheelchairs, according to the release.

“They both acknowledged billing Medicare approximately $736,072 for parts and repairs for one specific beneficiary, falsely claiming to have replaced expensive parts hundreds of times,” the release said. “They also admitted to using the proceeds from the fraud to purchase cryptocurrency, a vehicle, electronics, miscellaneous collectibles and purses.”

Between January 2019 and June 2023, the couple billed Medicare about $14 million for power wheelchairs, repairs and parts for 37 Medicare beneficiaries, according to the indictment.

“The approximately $14 million billed by (Southwest Medical Homepatient) to Medicare included numerous false and fraudulent claims for parts and repairs for (power mobility devices) that did not occur,” the indictment states.

They are both scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 4.

The post Harlingen couple admits to defrauding Medicare in $14M wheelchair scheme appeared first on MyRGV.com.