RIGHT SPEAK: Glendale Woman Sentenced to 9 Years for Multi-Million Dollar COVID-19 Healthcare Fraud; Colorado Springs Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud, and other C-Virus related stories

Glendale Woman Sentenced to 9 Years for Multi-Million Dollar COVID-19 Healthcare Fraud:

A Glendale woman has been sentenced to a nine-year prison term after pleading guilty in a healthcare fraud scheme that capitalized on the COVID-19 pandemic. The 66-year-old Lourdes Navarro, alongside her co-conspirator Imran Shams, was involved in submitting false claims for respiratory tests that were neither medically necessary nor ordered by healthcare providers.

Navarro and Shams controlled Matias Clinical Laboratory, which operated as the Health Care Providers Laboratory (HCPL). Their fraud scheme revolved around collecting nasal swab specimens under the guise of COVID-19 screening, targeting numerous vulnerable communities including nursing home residents and school staff. Despite the tests being unnecessary for asymptomatic individuals, HCPL billed for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests alongside COVID-19 tests. The Department of Justice reported that Navarro, Shams, and their facility billed around $369 million for the RPP tests, successfully defrauding insurance programs out of approximately $46.7 million. --->READ MORE HERE

Colorado Springs man sentenced for COVID-19 relief fraud:

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced a 67-year-old man has been sentenced to years in prison and ordered to pay over half a million dollars after being found guilty of crimes related to COVID-19 relief fraud.

The Attorney’s Office said between April 2020 and April 2021, Charles Lacona formally of Colorado Springs devised and participated in a scheme to defraud a lender of $513,732.50 in Paycheck Protection Program loans. Lacona inflated payroll costs and gross receipts, made false statements and certifications, and submitted fabricated tax documents and payroll reports.

According to facts presented during the trial, Lacona also unsuccessfully applied for additional emergency government assistance through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Lacona alleged to have used some of the fraudulently obtained funds to buy a Cadillac CT6 for $67,704.13.

Lacona was sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to pay $549,2743.14 in restitution after being found guilty of two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. --->READ MORE HERE