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Date: 05-16-2022
Case Style:
Case Number: 3:19-cr-00439-X
Judge:
Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (Dallas County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney: Cody Skipper and Phil Linder
Description: Dallas, Texas criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with violating the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
Bruce Stroud, 40, Bobbi Stroud, 39, husband and wife and residents of Prosper, Texas, and Kenric Griffin, 52, of Frisco, Texas, jointly owned and operated four orthotic brace suppliers: New Horizons Durable Medical Equipment, Striffin Medical Supply, 4B Ortho Supply, and Grace Professional DME.
The evidence showed that between January 2017 and April 2019, the Strouds and Griffin, through their companies, caused approximately $12.5 million to be billed in claims to Medicare for unnecessary braces based on brace orders received in exchange for illegal kickbacks. Medicare paid the defendants approximately $6.5 million for those claims. The defendants concealed the scheme by entering into numerous sham agreements with purported marketing companies that characterized the illegal payments for doctors’ orders as “marketing” expenses.
The Strouds and Griffin were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to offer and pay illegal health care kickbacks, and seven violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The defendants are all scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 7. Each defendant faces a total of up to 55 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office; and Major William Marlowe of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, and MFCU investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Carlos A. López and Darren C. Halverson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
18: U.S.C. § 371 (42 U.S.C. §§ 1320a-7b(b)(1) and (2)) Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and to Pay and Receive Health Care Kickbacks
(1)
18 U.S.C. § 371 (42 U.S.C.§§ 1320a- 7b(b)(1) and 2) Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and to Pay and Receive Health Care Kickbacks
(1s)
42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(1) and (2) & 18 U.S.C. § 2 Payment and Receipt of Kickbacks
(2-5)
42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) & 18: U.S.C. § 2 Payment and Receipt of Kickbacks
(2s-8s)
Outcome: 05/16/2022 217 ELECTRONIC Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Brantley Starr: Day 12 of Jury Trial as to Bobbi Stroud, Bruce Stroud, Kenric Griffin held on 5/16/2022. Court takes up jury note 1 with the parties. Jury has reached a verdict. Guilty verdict on all counts as to each defendant. Jury polled and released from further jury service. Defendants to remain on bond pending sentencing. Sentencing date to be set by separate order. Court is adjourn. Attorney Appearances: AUSA - Carlos Lopez, Darren Halverson; Defense - Cody Skipper, Jay Ethington, Nicole Knox, Joey Mongaras, Krystal LaPorte. (No exhibits) Time in Court - :45. (Court Reporter: Kelli Ann Willis) (Interpreter N/A.) (chmb) (Entered: 05/16/2022)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: