FRESNO, California — A Fresno podiatrist and a Clovis sales representative have been sentenced to 63 months in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, according to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston sentenced 52-year-old Felipe Ruiz, of Fresno, and 53-year-old Jose Gabriel Aguirre, of Clovis, and ordered the forfeiture of nine properties owned by the pair. Additionally, Aguirre faces a $2.6 million personal forfeiture money judgment, while Ruiz faces a $12.1 million judgment.
“We trust licensed medical professionals to safeguard their patients and not hand them over to unqualified individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “This podiatrist put profit over patient safety by allowing a salesman to perform medical procedures on vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries.”…