Rochester man sentenced for defrauding Medicare

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John Weinmann, 57, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of knowingly receiving a kickback under a federal health care program, was sentenced to serve three years' probation and a $2,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. This action is part of the Trump Administration's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

In 2017, Weinmann, while operating as an independent insurance broker, entered into an agreement with a Syracuse, NY, company to target Low Income Subsidy (LIS) Medicare beneficiaries. Under the terms of the agreement, the Syracuse company agreed to pay Weinmann money, as a kickback, for each prescription medication he was able to get filled and paid for under a beneficiary's Medicare coverage. Between September 2017 and August 2018, Weinmann recommended the purchase of, and then arranged for, the purchase of prescription medications that were medically unnecessary. The payments Weinmann received were made in whole or in part by the beneficiaries Medicare coverage. The total amount of money received by Weinmann in kickbacks was $32,150.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz, the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow, the U.S. Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher M. Silvestro, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford.