COVID testing fraud scheme nets West Park man millions: USAO

TAMPA, Fla. — A West Park man has been charged with receiving millions of dollars from filing fraudulent COVID-19 testing reimbursement claims.

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Willie F. Murray, Jr., 55, with six counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Mr Murray faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, followed by two consecutive years of imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count.

The indictment also notifies Murray that the United States intends to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account, and seven real properties located in Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Belle Glade, Hollywood, and South Bay, Florida, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

According to the indictment, Mr Murray was the registered agent and manager of Lab Tess, LLC, a Florida company that purportedly provided its customers with COVID-19 testing services. In fact, Lab Tess reportedly provided no such services, according to the indictment.

Murray allegedly used Lab Tess to submit fraudulent claims for reimbursement to the Health Resources and Services Administration for COVID-19 testing services supposedly provided to uninsured individuals. To complete the illegal scheme, Mr Murray reportedly used personal identifying information of individuals incarcerated by the Florida Department of Corrections, individuals falsely reported as having been tested at homeless shelters and electrical substations, and deceased individuals.

According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO), Murray submitted more than 126,000 fraudulent claims. He received reimbursement in the approximate amount of $5.6 million, which he used, in part, to purchase real properties in South Florida, said the USAO.

An indictment is a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Suzanne Nebesky will prosecute it.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.