Five Florida Residents Charged in Bribery Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain Government Benefits

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida:

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pamela Bondi, Florida Attorney General, and Margaret Moore-Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, United States Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, Miami Region, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement:

Irma Davidian, 52, of Boca Raton, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery in programs receiving federal funds and commit health care fraud; and conspiracy to give a gratuity to a public official, both, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

Gladys Roman, 47, and George Lopez, 35, both of Pompano Beach, are charged in a separate information, with conspiracy to commit bribery in programs receiving federal funds and commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

Maria Sanchez, 50, of Pembroke Pines, is charged with conspiracy to receive and accept a gratuity by a public official, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

Alejandro Lomoso, 56, of Southwest Ranches, is charged with conspiracy to receive and accept a gratuity by a public official, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

According to allegations contained in documents filed with the court, Davidian was in the business of representing persons who sought to obtain government benefits, including Social Security, Medicaid and Food Stamp benefits. Davidian would claim that, for a payment ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, she could obtain those benefits for individuals regardless of their personal circumstances. Roman was employed by the Florida Department of Child and Family Services (DCF) as an interview clerk and inputted information from those persons applying for Medicaid and Food Stamps benefits into a DCF computer. The Medicaid applications would then be assigned to a DCF case worker whose job title was an Economic Self-Sufficiency Specialist (ESS).

The court documents allege that, in or about April 2009, Roman submitted applications to DCF on behalf of Davidian’s clients and did so from her home or a public library and would add or change information to enhance the application. Davidian repeatedly asked Roman if there was an ESS worker at DCF who Davidian could pay to approve DCF applications. Lopez was an ESS for DCF. His duties included approving or denying requests for Medicaid and Food Stamp benefits. In or about 2012, Lopez agreed that, in exchange for money, he would approve applications submitted by Davidian on behalf of her clients.

In addition, court records allege that every other week, Davidian submitted applications on behalf of her clients to Roman so that they could be forwarded to DCF. Davidian submitted fraudulent documents with some of the applications in order to make it appear that her clients met the benefit requirements. Davidian instructed Roman to assign Lopez as the ESS worker in order to ensure that some of the fraudulent applications would be approved.

According to allegations, Roman would then fraudulently approve benefits for applicants who were not otherwise qualified. If benefits for Medicaid or Food Stamps were properly denied by another DCF employee, Lopez logged into the DCF computer system and overrode the denial and approved the benefits. Beginning in or about 2012 through in or about January 2014, every other week, Davidian paid Roman and Lopez each $500. As a result of the scheme, Roman and Lopez assisted Davidian to seek more than $5 million in fraudulent benefits.

Court records further allege that Sanchez and Lomoso worked as claims representatives for the SSA. From in or about 2008 through in or about early 2011, Sanchez and Lomoso would periodically receive applications from Davidian on behalf of persons seeking SSA benefits. In exchange for payment, Sanchez and Lomoso would expedite and/or modify the application process. Davidian gave, offered, and promised approximately $9,500 in U.S. currency to Lomoso and approximately $13,000 to $15,000 to Sanchez in exchange for performing their official acts.

If convicted, Davidian faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $500,000 and may be ordered to pay restitution. If convicted, defendants Roman, Lopez, Sanchez, and Lomoso each face a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of five years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000 and may be ordered to pay restitution.

In conjunction with the federal charges, the following individuals were arrested and charged by the Florida Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit:

• Alexey Mesiatsev, 61, of Wellington, FL
• Ilya Massarsky, 38, of Sunny Isles Beach, FL
• Lyudmila Ustakova, 46, of Boca Raton, FL
• Maryna Makhnyeva, 37, of Boca Raton, FL
• Natalya Krichevskaya, 49, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Olga Maximova, 53, of Sunny Isles Beach, FL
• Sergei Berezin, 43, of Boca Raton, FL
• Lyudmila Pereverzeva, 56, of Hallandale Beach, FL

The total loss to the Florida Medicaid program as a result of the defendants alleged conduct is more than $2.7 million.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, Florida Attorney General’s Office, SSA-OIG, HHS-OIG, MFCU and the Florida Department of Children and Families OIG.A ttorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle the state law violations.The federal matters are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey N. Kaplan and Thomas P. Lanigan.

An information is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.   

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pamela Bondi, Florida Attorney General, and Margaret Moore-Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, United States Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, Miami Region, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement:

Irma Davidian, 52, of Boca Raton, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery in programs receiving federal funds and commit health care fraud; and conspiracy to give a gratuity to a public official, both, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

Gladys Roman, 47, and George Lopez, 35, both of Pompano Beach, are charged in a separate information, with conspiracy to commit bribery in programs receiving federal funds and commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

Maria Sanchez, 50, of Pembroke Pines, is charged with conspiracy to receive and accept a gratuity by a public official, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

Alejandro Lomoso, 56, of Southwest Ranches, is charged with conspiracy to receive and accept a gratuity by a public official, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.

According to allegations contained in documents filed with the court, Davidian was in the business of representing persons who sought to obtain government benefits, including Social Security, Medicaid and Food Stamp benefits. Davidian would claim that, for a payment ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, she could obtain those benefits for individuals regardless of their personal circumstances. Roman was employed by the Florida Department of Child and Family Services (DCF) as an interview clerk and inputted information from those persons applying for Medicaid and Food Stamps benefits into a DCF computer. The Medicaid applications would then be assigned to a DCF case worker whose job title was an Economic Self-Sufficiency Specialist (ESS).

The court documents allege that, in or about April 2009, Roman submitted applications to DCF on behalf of Davidian’s clients and did so from her home or a public library and would add or change information to enhance the application. Davidian repeatedly asked Roman if there was an ESS worker at DCF who Davidian could pay to approve DCF applications. Lopez was an ESS for DCF. His duties included approving or denying requests for Medicaid and Food Stamp benefits. In or about 2012, Lopez agreed that, in exchange for money, he would approve applications submitted by Davidian on behalf of her clients.

In addition, court records allege that every other week, Davidian submitted applications on behalf of her clients to Roman so that they could be forwarded to DCF. Davidian submitted fraudulent documents with some of the applications in order to make it appear that her clients met the benefit requirements. Davidian instructed Roman to assign Lopez as the ESS worker in order to ensure that some of the fraudulent applications would be approved.

According to allegations, Roman would then fraudulently approve benefits for applicants who were not otherwise qualified. If benefits for Medicaid or Food Stamps were properly denied by another DCF employee, Lopez logged into the DCF computer system and overrode the denial and approved the benefits. Beginning in or about 2012 through in or about January 2014, every other week, Davidian paid Roman and Lopez each $500. As a result of the scheme, Roman and Lopez assisted Davidian to seek more than $5 million in fraudulent benefits.

Court records further allege that Sanchez and Lomoso worked as claims representatives for the SSA. From in or about 2008 through in or about early 2011, Sanchez and Lomoso would periodically receive applications from Davidian on behalf of persons seeking SSA benefits. In exchange for payment, Sanchez and Lomoso would expedite and/or modify the application process. Davidian gave, offered, and promised approximately $9,500 in U.S. currency to Lomoso and approximately $13,000 to $15,000 to Sanchez in exchange for performing their official acts.

If convicted, Davidian faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $500,000 and may be ordered to pay restitution. If convicted, defendants Roman, Lopez, Sanchez, and Lomoso each face a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of five years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000 and may be ordered to pay restitution.

In conjunction with the federal charges, the following individuals were arrested and charged by the Florida Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit:

• Alexey Mesiatsev, 61, of Wellington, FL
• Ilya Massarsky, 38, of Sunny Isles Beach, FL
• Lyudmila Ustakova, 46, of Boca Raton, FL
• Maryna Makhnyeva, 37, of Boca Raton, FL
• Natalya Krichevskaya, 49, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Olga Maximova, 53, of Sunny Isles Beach, FL
• Sergei Berezin, 43, of Boca Raton, FL
• Lyudmila Pereverzeva, 56, of Hallandale Beach, FL

The total loss to the Florida Medicaid program as a result of the defendants alleged conduct is more than $2.7 million.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, Florida Attorney General’s Office, SSA-OIG, HHS-OIG, MFCU and the Florida Department of Children and Families OIG.A ttorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle the state law violations.The federal matters are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey N. Kaplan and Thomas P. Lanigan.

An information is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.