Three South Florida Residents Arrested on Federal Healthcare Fraud Charges
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office and Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Miami Regional Office, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), announced that Jose Antonio Mesa Sixto, 53, of Miami, Llunaisy Acanda, 41, of Miami Gardens, and Ania Hans, 41, of Miami, were arrested on charges relating to healthcare fraud and payment and receipt of healthcare kickbacks.
photo/ Darko Stojanovic
The Indictment, which was the basis for the defendants’ arrests, alleges that between August 4, 2014, and August 19, 2015, Mesa Sixto was the owner and operator of Nissi Home Health Services, Inc (“Nissi”), in Virginia Gardens, Florida. He is alleged to have paid kickbacks to Acanda and Hans in return for Medicare home health patient referrals to Nissi. Mesa Sixto is also charged with witness tampering. The indictment further alleges that between April 2012, and June 2015, Acanda, Hans, and others falsely certified therapy notes indicating that they provided therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries on behalf of Nissi through their companies, A&A Professional Therapy, St. Judges Staffing Group, Inc, and Krystal Rehabilitation Services Corp.
If convicted, Mesa Sixto faces a maximum statutory sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment for paying kickbacks and 20 years’ imprisonment for witness tampering. Acanda and Hans face a maximum statutory sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment for receiving kickbacks and 20 years’ imprisonment for healthcare fraud.
An indictment is only an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and HHS-OIG in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gilfarb.
