In an update to an October 26, 2023, story, Eric Karlewicz, aka Anthony Mazza, and Nicco Romanowski were sentenced to 51 months and 80 months in prison, respectively. They also must pay $127.6 million in restitution. Read a Department of Justice press release.
Eric Karlewicz, aka Anthony Mazza, pleaded guilty in federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Documents filed in the case and statements made in court say that Karlewicz participated in a scheme with durable medical equipment (DME) companies, telemedicine companies, and doctors to submit false claims to health care benefit programs, including Medicare and TRICARE, based on a circular scheme of kickbacks and bribes. Karlewicz controlled a marketing company through which he and his conspirators identified Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries to target for DME. Company employees called the beneficiaries to pressure them to agree to accept DME, frequently consisting of back, shoulder, and knee braces. Read a story from Lohud and a Department of Justice press release.