Three Florida men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a scheme to submit nearly $7 million in fraudulent Medicare claims for medically unnecessary orthotic braces and launder more than $2.2 million in fraud proceeds, the Justice Department said in a May 21 news release.
Marco Scamarone, of Tamarac, was sentenced to 70 months in prison; Jose Mendez, of Coral Springs, was sentenced to 78 months; and Renee Vazquez, of Tamarac, was sentenced to 60 months.
The three owned and operated two fraudulent DME companies — Braces and Orthotics in Virginia and Stone Oak Durable Medical Equipment in Florida — through which they submitted approximately $6.9 million in fraudulent Medicare claims between January 2022 and February 2023, using kickbacks paid to an offshore marketing company to obtain beneficiary referrals and fraudulent physicians’ orders. The proceeds were laundered through a series of shell companies.
All three pleaded guilty in December 2025 to conspiracy to commit money laundering and were ordered to pay millions in forfeiture and restitution.
This is the tenth DME fraud case Becker’s has reported on since CMS announced a six-month nationwide moratorium on new Medicare enrollment for certain DME suppliers.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.