Ronald Dean, DO, 64, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to a July 18 Justice Department news release. His plea agreement calls for him to pay at least $780,509 in restitution. He also faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The Justice Department alleged Dr. Dean was paid by a telemedicine company to sign orders for durable medical equipment that patients did not need. He then fraudulently charged Medicare, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Railroad Retirement Board for telemedicine office visits that did not occur.
The telemedicine company also allegedly used Dr. Dean’s information to prescribe unnecessary COVID-19 tests to patients, according to the release. The conspiracy ran from January 2022 to July 2023.
The allegations against Dr. Dean were part of the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action that brought charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in fraud schemes that involved around $2.75 billion in intended losses and $1.6 billion in actual losses.
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