Florida man pleads guilty to multi-million dollar scheme to defraud Medicare | FOX 35 Orlando
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Florida man pleads guilty to multi-million dollar scheme to defraud Medicare

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Published  April 3, 2025 11:52am EDT
Ocala
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • A Florida man has pleaded guilty to purchasing Medicare identification numbers and using the numbers to cause more than $8.4 million of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare.
    • On Monday, 47-year-old Corey Alston, of Fort Lauderdale, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to illegally purchase Medicare beneficiary identification numbers in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that were ineligible for reimbursement.
    • Alston is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9. He and his co-defendant, Latresia A. Wilson, each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

OCALA, Fla. - A Florida man has pleaded guilty to purchasing Medicare identification numbers and using the numbers to cause more than $8.4 million of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare.

On Monday, 47-year-old Corey Alston, of Fort Lauderdale, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to illegally purchase Medicare beneficiary identification numbers in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that were ineligible for reimbursement.

Officials said Alston committed the crimes with the help of his co-defendant, Latresia A. Wilson.

Guilty plea

What we know:

Wilson previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and to illegally purchase Medicare beneficiary identification. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15. 

Alston is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9. 

Alston and Wilson both face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 

More than $8.4 million in false and fraudulent claims

The backstory:

According to court documents, Alston and Wilson conspired to unlawfully purchase Medicare beneficiary identification information and used the information to submit millions of dollars in claims to Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that the beneficiaries did not want or request.

Officials said that over the course of just seven months, Alston, Wilson and others submitted more than $8.4 million in false and fraudulent claims, through companies they owned and controlled, to Medicare that were ineligible for reimbursement. Medicare paid more $2.6 million based on the false and fraudulent claims, authorities said.

What's next:

A federal district court judge will determine sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida on April 2, 2025.

OcalaMarion CountyCrime and Public Safety