Inverness Man Charged in Tampa Federal Court With Health Care Fraud and Identity Theft

Patrick Crisler of Inverness was indicted on 12 federal charges earlier this month -  six counts of health care fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to the indictment, issued out of the federal court in Tampa, Crisler is an occupational therapy assistant and owner of Active Life Rehab, Inc. The government accuses Crisler of submitting fraudulent claims of more than $1 million to Medicaid for occupational therapy services that were either not provided at all, or not provided as billed to Medicaid. Specifically, they claim that Crisler falsified patient records and used the Medical Provider Numbers of other licensed occupational therapists to submit claims to Medicaid for payment to Active Life Rehab.

Crisler was one of more than 100 individuals around the United States charged with Medicare fraud during a sweep by the multi-agency Medicare Fraud Strike Force.

At least nine other Tampa-area suspects were also charged in separate Medicare fraud cases arising out of the same task force, including medical equipment providers, physical therapists, physicians and pharmacists.

The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is a team of federal, state and local investigators which currently operates in seven cities in the United States: Miami, Los Angeles, Detroit, Houston, Brooklyn, Tampa and Baton Rouge.

If convicted on all counts, Crisler faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the healthcare fraud charge and substantial fines. He faces a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of two years in federal prison on the aggravated identity theft counts. The government also intends to seek a money judgment or forfeit any assets which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

Medicare fraud cases prosecuted in Tampa’s federal court have seemingly increased in the past few years. If you believe that you are being investigated in a potential fraud case, you should contact an experienced defense attorney early in the process to assist you in navigating the federal law enforcement and court systems.