A Fort Lauderdale man has admitted guilt in participating in a scheme that defrauded Medicare of more than $8.4 million. Corey Alston, 47, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and illegally purchasing Medicare beneficiary identification numbers. The scheme involved billing Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that were not eligible for reimbursement.
According to court documents, Alston, along with co-defendant Latresia A. Wilson, used unlawfully acquired Medicare beneficiary information to submit claims for COVID-19 test kits that beneficiaries neither wanted nor requested. Within a seven-month period, from July 2022 to February 2023, Alston, Wilson, and others submitted these claims through companies they controlled, resulting in over $2.6 million being improperly paid by Medicare.
Wilson had already pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024, to similar charges and is set to be sentenced on May 15. Alston is expected to receive his sentence on July 9. Both defendants face a maximum of five years in prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will take the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines into account.
The announcement of Alston’s plea was made by several officials: Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Matthew W. Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and HHS-OIG, and the case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Shane Butland and Keith Clouser and Senior Litigation Counsel Catherine Wagner. Acting Assistant Chief Justin Woodard played a role in charging the case. The Fraud Section, which oversees the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, is leading efforts to combat healthcare fraud. This initiative, operational in 27 federal districts since March 2007, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who have collectively defrauded federal programs and private insurers of over $30 billion.
For more information, the public is directed to visit www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.