Florida: Governor DeSantis Suspends Hialeah Councilwoman Amidst $19 Million Insurance Fraud Scandal

Indictment and Allegations

The indictment, issued by a federal grand jury, includes charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, along with multiple counts of health care fraud and wire fraud. These serious charges fall under federal statutes 18 U.S.C. § 1349, 18 U.S.C. § 1347, and 18 U.S.C. § 1343, respectively. According to the Miami Herald and other news sources, Pacheco’s clinic, Florida Life Recovery and Rehabilitation LLC, and its affiliated labs, billed insurers for unnecessary medical treatments and tests between 2017 and 2020. It is alleged that the clinic offered kickbacks to patients to encourage them to seek services, which were then fraudulently billed to insurance companies like Aetna and Cigna.

Political Motivations?

In a video posted on YouTube, Pacheco declared her innocence and suggested that the suspension was politically motivated. She claims her efforts to expose corruption within the city of Hialeah have made her a target. This statement adds another layer of complexity to an already intricate case.