Medical Supply Company Owner Sentenced To 8 Years In Prison For Fraud

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The former owner of a medical supply company was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison for a scam authorities say allowed her to pocket nearly $2 million in fraudulent Medicare and Medi-Cal payments.

Sylvia Walter-Eze was also ordered Monday to repay the government programs for the poor and elderly more than $1.9 million.

Walter-Eze, 48, was convicted in March of fraud and conspiracy.

Authorities say the former owner of Ezcor Medical Supply paid fees to recruiters to find patients for her scheme. Then she paid kickbacks to doctors to write unnecessary prescriptions for items like expensive power wheelchairs that her company provided.

In all, government officials say, she filed $3.5 million in fraudulent reimbursement claims between 2007 and 2012. She collected nearly $2 million.

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