Associated Press
McALLEN, Texas — The owner of a South Texas ambulance company faces up to 12 years in prison for scamming the government into paying for trips that were never made.
Victor Lee Gonzalez of Mission pleaded guilty Tuesday in McAllen to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Federal prosecutors say the 28-year-old Gonzalez owns Vic’s Texas Transport Inc. He remains in custody pending sentencing later this year.
Investigators say Gonzalez submitted claims with Medicare and Texas Medicaid for reimbursement of ambulance services that were not provided. He used the Medicaid number of a patient to submit false and fraudulent billings topping $1 million.
Prosecutors say Gonzalez was paid nearly $459,000 as a results of the fake billings.