Miami-Dade Man Charged for Laundering $500,000 in Health Care Fraud Proceeds
Other Defendants Sentenced in Connection with the Same Scheme
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 15, 2010 |
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Christopher B. Dennis, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigation, announce the indictment of defendant Edisnel Diaz Soler, 25, of Miami-Dade County, on charges of laundering more than $1,000,000 of health care fraud proceeds.
On December 14, 2010, Edisnel Diaz Soler made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge William C. Turnoff on charges that he laundered money derived from health care fraud and structured cash withdrawals to avoid currency transaction reports. The indictment alleges that Diaz Soler laundered money on behalf of Mercy Medical Supply, Inc., JHH Group, Inc., and Yani’s Pharmacy, Inc., companies that allegedly engaged in health care fraud. According to the indictment, from October 2007 to February 2008, Diaz Soler withdrew more than $100,000 in cash in amounts under $10,000 to avoid bank currency transaction reporting requirements. According to statements made in court during the bond hearing, Diaz Soler laundered more than $500,000 for companies engaging in health care fraud.
In a separate but related case, on December 2, 2010, defendant Obel Martinez, 38, also of Miami Dade, was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment for his role in laundering money on behalf of Mercy Medical Supply, Inc., and JHH Group, Inc. According to statements made during his guilty plea, Martinez established a corporate bank account for El Cangre Corp., a company that he controlled. Between September 2007 and January 2008, Martinez deposited a series of checks from health care companies into that bank account, including 64 checks from Mercy Medical totalling more than $500,000. Martinez then withdrew that amount via ATM withdrawals, cash withdrawals, counter debits, and the cashing of checks made payable to “cash.”
Other defendants have also been sentenced for their participation in this scheme. Maykel Diaz Escalona, the owner of Mercy Medical Supply, Inc.; Marcelino Avila, the owner of JHH Group, Inc.; and Douglas Reina, the owner of Yani’s Pharmacy, Inc., all of whom pled guilty, were sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment, 46 months’ imprisonment, and 37 months’ imprisonment, respectively, on health care fraud charges.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney H. Ron Davidson and Trial Attorney O. Benton Curtis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
An indictment is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.