Hidalgo County jury deliberating $2.5M healthcare fraud case
McALLEN — A jury must now decide if a 41-year-old woman and co-owner of a medical supply company in McAllen was at the center of a multi-million dollar Medicaid fraud scheme, or was cheated by her employees who pleaded guilty before the trial.
Maria Garza, who owned Hacienda DME along with her husband Gregorio Garza, has been on trial for seven days accused of defrauding Medicaid for more than $2.5 {million} between 2008 and 2013.
Garza was arrested along with six of her employees in June 2016 and faces 18 charges, including three counts of healthcare fraud, two counts of aggravated identify theft, and two counts of tampering with witnesses after she allegedly made death threats to the other suspects.
Bertha Lopez, 61, of Sullivan City, served as a marketer and vendor for the company; Miriam Aguilar, 31, of Rio Grande City was a delivery driver and recruiter; Nancy Rangel, 30, of Mission, was a biller and recruiter. Veronica Cruz, 32, of Donna; Angelica Saenz, 44, of Mission; and Yolotzi Lara, 28, of Peñitas, were also charged for their roles as recruiters for Hacienda DME.
Read more: http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/article_d3708e02-fa39-11e6-80b7-f3ab9319e0bf.html
