Man gets 5 years for $100M Tricare fraud

[unhappycamper]

Man gets 5 years for $100M Tricare fraud
By Ryan J. Foley - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 18, 2008 6:43:45 EDT

MADISON, Wis. — A former health care executive was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for helping his Philippines-based company swindle nearly $100 million from the U.S. military health insurance program.

Thomas Lutz, 41, said in federal court he took responsibility for the six-year scheme in which Health Visions Corp. bilked $99.9 million from the military’s Tricare program through inflated and fraudulent claims.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb said the five-year sentence was modest given the extent of the fraud, but it was the longest she could impose under Lutz’s plea deal.

Health Visions and Lutz were initially charged in a 75-count indictment in 2005. He pleaded guilty in 2006 to a single count of conspiracy to pay kickbacks and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, a deal Crabb called “a huge break” for Lutz.

“It’s just horrifying that you were able to take as much money as you did,” Crabb told Lutz.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/ap_fraud_061708/