WASHINGTON – Miami physicians Carlos Contreras, MD, and Ramon Pichardo, MD, pled guilty last week to defrauding the Medicare program in connection with a $6.8 million HIV infusion fraud scheme.

Contreras, 60, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud before U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno in Miami. In his plea, Contreras admitted that he owned a Miami clinic named CNC Medical Inc., which purported to specialize in the treatment of HIV-positive patients.

Contreras admitted that, from November 2002 through April 2004, he conspired with others to submit approximately $6.8 million in fraudulent Medicare bills, he signed documents containing false information about treatments purportedly given to HIV-positive patients and he approved medically unnecessary treatments at CNC.

Contreras also admitted that the clinic received approximately $4.2 million from the Medicare program as a result of his and his co-conspirators' conduct.

According to Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta of the Southern District of Florida, Contreras admitted that he entered into an agreement in approximately November 2002 with Carlos Benitez, Luis Benitez, Thomas McKenzie, Pichardo and others to operate CNC as a fraudulent HIV infusion clinic.

According to federal officials, Contreras admitted that the Benitez brothers would refer HIV-positive Medicare beneficiaries to the clinic, provide staff members to work at the clinic and transport patients to CNC in exchange for a substantial share of CNC's profits.