Coral Springs man sentenced to more than seven years in prison for Medicare fraud scheme
Coral Springs, Florida – A Coral Springs man has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale Medicare fraud scheme that prosecutors said targeted elderly Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through deceptive telemarketing operations and unnecessary medical equipment orders.
Sandro Herek, 56, of Coral Springs, received a 92-month federal prison sentence from Senior U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham after being convicted by a jury on multiple charges. The convictions included conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and three counts of receiving health care kickbacks.
Federal prosecutors said Herek played a key role in managing overseas call centers that contacted Medicare Advantage beneficiaries and persuaded them to accept medical braces they often did not need. The operations included call centers in Egypt and other countries, where representatives allegedly made large numbers of unsolicited calls to elderly individuals.
According to court evidence, the call center employees used aggressive sales methods to convince beneficiaries to agree to receive back, knee, shoulder, and ankle braces. Prosecutors said some beneficiaries were contacted repeatedly, even after they had previously refused the equipment.
Authorities said the scheme relied on high-pressure tactics designed to obtain beneficiary information and approvals that could later be used to submit claims to Medicare Advantage plans.
The investigation found that physicians involved in the operation frequently approved braces through standardized authorization procedures based primarily on recorded phone conversations. Prosecutors said that in many cases, doctors never directly communicated with the patients before approving the medical equipment.
The fraud operation was carried out with co-defendant Michael Kochen, 42, of Aventura, who owned dozens of durable medical equipment companies. Prosecutors said Kochen paid illegal kickbacks to Herek and other individuals in exchange for help recruiting Medicare beneficiaries.
According to authorities, after beneficiaries were recruited, the companies used telemedicine providers to obtain prescription orders for the equipment. The companies then submitted claims to Medicare Advantage plans for braces that prosecutors said were medically unnecessary.
Investigators estimated that the scheme resulted in approximately $35 million in fraudulent claims. Those claims led to more than $19 million in payments from Medicare Advantage plans, according to federal prosecutors.
Kochen was also sentenced in connection with the case. He received a 204-month federal prison sentence after being convicted on several charges, including conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, health care fraud, and paying health care kickbacks.
Federal officials have continued to emphasize that Medicare fraud schemes often target vulnerable populations, especially older adults who rely on government health programs. Authorities said fraudulent medical equipment operations can increase costs for healthcare programs while taking advantage of patients who may not fully understand how their information is being used.
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The sentencing of Herek represents the conclusion of a major federal case involving a nationwide fraud operation that stretched across multiple companies and international call centers. Prosecutors said the penalties reflect the seriousness of schemes that misuse healthcare programs for financial gain.
Officials encouraged Medicare beneficiaries to be cautious of unsolicited calls offering free medical equipment or services and to consult directly with trusted healthcare providers before accepting medical supplies. The case serves as another reminder that federal authorities continue to investigate and prosecute individuals accused of exploiting Medicare and other healthcare systems.
