OIG - Office of Inspector General

01/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/20/2026 15:16

Health Care Executive Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme in Vermont

Health Care Executive Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme in Vermont

A Florida businesswoman pleaded guilty today to an information in the District of Vermont for participating in a conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks. According to court documents, Evelyn Herrera, 62, of Loxahatchee, Florida, owned a durable medical equipment company called Merida Medical Supplies Inc. (Merida). After obtaining the identities of individuals residing in Vermont, across New England, and elsewhere in the United States, Herrera, using Merida, submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for wrist, knee, and back braces that were never requested or received by patients. In total, Merida fraudulently billed Medicare approximately $6.5 million, and Medicare paid Merida approximately $2.8 million based on those claims.

Read more on https://www.justice.gov

Action Details

  • Date:January 20, 2026
  • Agency:U.S. Department of Justice
  • Enforcement Types:
    • Criminal and Civil Actions
OIG - Office of Inspector General published this content on January 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 20, 2026 at 21:16 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]