A Texas physician, Dr. Jorge Zamora-Quezada, has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison following his conviction for orchestrating a $28 million fraud against federal health programs.
This scheme was part of a larger $118 million operation, as announced by the Department of Justice. The rheumatologist, based in Mission, Texas, falsely diagnosed numerous healthy individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, subjecting them to expensive and unnecessary treatments, which were sometimes hazardous.
His fraudulent activities targeted Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, siphoning millions of taxpayer dollars intended to aid vulnerable citizens.
According to the Daily Caller, Zamora-Quezada's fraudulent activities spanned several years, during which he exploited his medical license and staffmany of whom were foreign workers reliant on their employment visasto sustain a lavish lifestyle. His acquisitions included a Maserati GranTurismo, a private jet, and 13 properties across the United States and Mexico.
Meanwhile, his patients suffered from severe side effects due to the toxic medications they were unnecessarily prescribed. "Dr. Zamora-Quezada funded his luxurious lifestyle for two decades by traumatizing his patients, abusing his employees, lying to insurers, and stealing taxpayer money," stated Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the DOJ Criminal Division.
The conviction of Zamora-Quezada highlights ongoing concerns about trust and accountability within the Texas medical community. This case unfolds against the backdrop of President Donald Trump's Department of Justice recently dismissing charges against Dr. Eithan Haim, a whistleblower who faced prosecution under the Biden administration.
Dr. Haim had exposed sex change procedures being performed on minors at Texas Childrens Hospital, despite public assertions that such practices had ceased. Republican figures such as Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and Texas Rep. Chip Roy advocated for the dismissal of the case against Haim, criticizing the Biden DOJ for overreach. Ultimately, Trumps DOJ intervened to drop the charges.
In stark contrast, Zamora-Quezada was found guilty on multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit health care fraud and obstruction of justice. His actions left patients with serious health issues, such as liver damage and strokes, after receiving unnecessary treatments. Medical experts testified that most of these patients did not have rheumatoid arthritis.
Furthermore, Zamora-Quezada maintained falsified records in a rodent-infested shed and coerced his staff into fabricating documents when questioned by insurers. He exerted control over his employees through intimidation, referring to himself as "eminencia" and threatening deportation to ensure compliance.
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