The jury convicted Merida Group’s medical director Francisco Pena of one count of health care fraud, obstruction of health care investigations, one count of false statements, and one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks.
In December 2020, Mesquias was sentenced to 240 months or 20 years in prison. Pena is awaiting sentencing.
In a statement, the DOJ’s Criminal Division Acting Attorney General Nicholas McQuaid, said McInnis directly supervised the “reprehensible criminal scheme” involving the submission of more than $150 million in fraudulent bills, falsification of patients’ medical records, and payment of kickbacks.”
McQuaid added, “McInnis preyed upon some of the most vulnerable members of our society, including many who suffered from diminished mental capacity and who were falsely and cruelly told by co-conspirators that they had only months to live. Today’s significant sentence demonstrates the department’s continued commitment to pursuing individuals, at all levels of corporate management, who engage in criminal schemes that prioritize profits over patient care.”
