Herbert Kimble sentenced to 20 years for $400m Medicare fraud scheme

Herbert Kimble, architect of one of the largest healthcare fraud schemes in US history, has been sentenced to 20 years. He must repay over $199m to Medicare.

Fugitive fraud architect jailed 20 years after Philippines capture

Herbert Kimble, whom federal prosecutors described as the architect of one of the largest healthcare fraud schemes in US history, was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison, knoe.com reports.

A federal court in South Carolina also ordered Kimble to pay more than $199 million in restitution to Medicare and to forfeit more than $195 million in what prosecutors called "ill-gotten gains." He is not eligible for parole.

Kimble had pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiring to commit healthcare fraud, violating the anti-kickback statute, and defrauding the United States. The scheme centred on telemedicine and durable medical equipment — specifically back, shoulder, wrist, and knee braces. Court filings put the intended loss at more than $400 million, with Kimble personally netting more than $195 million.

Prosecutors say Kimble operated offshore call centres that recruited elderly Medicare beneficiaries, paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies in exchange for signed prescriptions, and then sold those orders to medical equipment suppliers that billed Medicare directly.

Kimble cooperated with investigators in what became known as Operation Brace Yourself. However, he failed to appear for three court dates in autumn 2024 and subsequently fled to the Philippines, where he remained a fugitive for nearly two years. In June, the FBI added Kimble to its Most Wanted Fraudsters list. Days later he was apprehended in the Philippines and extradited to the United States. He later pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to appear, charges brought as part of the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.

Bryan Stirling, US attorney for the District of South Carolina, said the sentence reflected the gravity of Kimble's conduct. "Kimble orchestrated one of the largest international healthcare fraud schemes in our nation's history," Stirling said. "Today's sentence underscores the seriousness of his crimes and reinforces the Department of Justice's commitment to investigate and prosecute those who steal from American taxpayers."

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)