MCALLEN – The final defendant in the Aflac fraud investigation pleaded guilty in court today.
http://liarcatchers.com/insurance_fraud.html
Maria Guzman of Edinburg was convicted of making false statements relating to health care matters . The 42-year-old will remain on bond pending her sentencing hearing on June 29. She faces up to five years in federal prison without parole, a $250,000 fine, and mandatory restitution for her false statements.
Guzman was one of 36 people indicted in June for their role in the conspiracy. Investigators say the group defrauded Aflac of millions of dollars by filing false injury claims.
Prosecutors said Guzman was a policyholder under Aflac’s Accident-Only Insurance Plan. She was accused of delivering lists of fake accidents and injuries from 2005 to 2010. In the accident reports, two physicians from Reynosa claimed they provided treatment for the injuries. Investigators said the physicians got a cash kickback of about $15 for each report.
The physicians and policyholders allegedly attempted to conceal their scheme by listing minor injuries, because more serious injuries that paid higher cash benefits could potentially attract a greater level of scrutiny by Aflac’s claims department.
With this conviction, all 36 defendants have been convicted of felony offenses for their respective roles in the conspiracy
