Five individuals have been charged and two others have pleaded guilty in New Jersey for their roles in massive durable medical equipment and genetic cancer screening kickback fraud schemes. Thomas Farese, 78, of Delray Beach, Florida; Pat Truglia, 53, of Parkland, Florida; Domenic J. Gatto Jr., 46, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; and Nicholas Defonte, 72, and Christopher Cirri, 63, both of Toms River, New Jersey, are each charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Two additional individuals pleaded guilty by videoconference before US District Judge Kevin McNulty: Brian Herbstman, 46, of Jackson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute; and Sean Hogan, 48, Old Bridge, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Sentencing for both is scheduled for Aug. 31, 2021. According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court: Each of the defendants played a role in defrauding healthcare benefit programs by offering, paying, soliciting, and receiving kickbacks and bribes in exchange for completed doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment (DME), namely orthotic braces. The defendants caused losses to Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA of approximately $93 million.
