January 27, 2015

North Carolina Couple Sentenced to Pay $342,447 in Restitution for Participating in Health Care Kickback Scheme

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that CRYSTAL FINDLEY MCDONALD, and her husband,COREY MCDONALD (the “MCDONALDs”), ages 32 and 43, respectively, were sentenced after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Bill of Information for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive illegal remuneration.

U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced both to five years’ probation. As a condition of probation, theMCDONALDs, residents of North Carolina, were ordered to spend 12 months in home detention. In addition, the MCDONALDs were ordered to pay $342,447 in restitution.

According to court documents, the defendants were paid illegal kickbacks to refer patients to Care Concepts for Durable Medical Equipment. The equipment was neither needed nor wanted by the patients, but was reimbursable by Medicare. The defendants also paid illegal kickbacks to their employees to procure such referrals.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrice Harris Sullivan was in charge of the prosecution.