HOUSTON – A Houston family doctor has been arrested after being federally indicted in connection with more than $20 million in allegedly fraudulent COVID-19-related Medicare claims, the FBI said Monday.
Dr. Joseph Montes was arrested by FBI Houston and appeared in federal court Monday morning, according to the agency.
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Montes faces three federal charges:
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Conspiracy to defraud the United States
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Wire fraud
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Engaging in a monetary transaction involving property derived from specified unlawful activity
The charges stem from an alleged scheme involving fraudulent Medicare claims related to COVID-19, according to the FBI.
Federal prosecutors have not yet released additional details about the allegations against Montes.
PROCUREMENT & EXPENDITURE (STOPPING KICKBACKS)
Procurement fraud usually involves inflated invoices or “fictitious” vendors.
- The Three-Way Match: Never pay an invoice unless you have matched the Purchase Order (PO), the Delivery Note (signed), and the Supplier Invoice.
- Vendor Master File Review: Review your vendor list annually. Look for suppliers with the same bank details or physical addresses as your employees.
- Dual Authorization: Implement a “Two-to-Sign” rule for all EFT payments above a certain threshold (e.g., R5,000).
- No “Cashing” of Checks: If you still use physical checks, strictly prohibit “Cash” as a payee and store blank checks in a dual-lock safe.