Damon Heath Roberts, a 55-year-old Plano man, has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to obtain approximately $1.7 million from Medicare, according to federal officials. The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Roberts, the owner of JDS Labs, admitted to one count of conspiracy to solicit or receive kickbacks for referrals to a federal health care program.
Court documents revealed that Roberts, along with medical providers and individuals with access to patient information, engaged in sharing Medicare beneficiary information. This allowed JDS Labs to bill Medicare for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests. In return for the patient information, Roberts paid kickbacks based on the reimbursement from Medicare to the medical providers or other individuals involved.
To conceal the kickback payments, Roberts utilized passthrough arrangements and cash payments. He submitted nearly $4 million in claims for the over-the-counter COVID-19 tests and received approximately $1.7 million in reimbursement. Additionally, Roberts paid approximately $149,066 in bribes and kickbacks.
Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2024, and could face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
