Bonita Man Pleads Guilty in $5.8 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme | Chula Vista Mother-Daughter Team Charged in $9.5M Medicare Fraud Scheme
- Media
- Jun 25
- 2 min read
Just about a year ago, a Bonita resident and business owner, plead guilty in federal court, admitting that he conspired with others to defraud Medicare of millions of dollars and to pay unlawful kickbacks for patient referrals.
The United States Attorney's Office Press Release wrote that Jacobo Melcer, 85, admitted that he paid more than $227,000 in kickbacks. He fraudulently billed Medicare $5,885,382 and was paid $3,479,303. As part of his guilty plea, Melcer agreed to forfeit and pay restitution in the amount of $3,479,303.
Skip ahead to yesterday.
According to a San Diego Union-Tribune article, a Chula Vista mother and daughter were indicted by federal prosecutors indicted for a $9.5 million Medicare fraud scheme. The Department of Justice alleges the daughter, who lacks a medical license, treated patients while her mother, a nurse practitioner, was incarcerated for an unrelated cash smuggling conviction.
The Department of Justice detailed the following specifics regarding the case:
The Defendants: Blanca Estela Cardenas (55) and her daughter Raquel Pasillas (33). Cardenas owned Mobile Care Medical Providers, LLC and B&R Wound Care, Inc.
The Scheme: Between April and October 2024, Pasillas allegedly treated patients for wound care—such as applying costly skin substitute allografts—using Cardenas's provider identifier while Cardenas was serving time in federal prison.
Financials: The duo submitted approximately $9.5 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and received over $5.5 million in reimbursements, which they allegedly spent on personal expenses, including cash withdrawals and rent according to Channel 10 News.
Charges: Both women face one count of health care fraud conspiracy and nine counts of health care fraud.
The U.S. Department of Justice is targeting hundreds of defendants involved in massive health care fraud. Read the full case details in the U.S. Department of Justice Press Release.
My question is this . . . Doesn't anyone just WORK for a living any more?
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