LAVACA, Ark. — The Department of Justice has released new details about a series of FBI raids that happened in western Arkansas on Tuesday. A Lavaca man is accused of health care fraud that netted him $88 million, including $42 million during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a press release from the DOJ, Billy Joe Taylor, 42, was charged by criminal complaint with health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud the United States for over $88 million, including over $42 million in false and fraudulent claims during the COVID-19 health emergency that were billed in combination with claims that were submitted for testing for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
The DOJ claims Taylor, the owner and operator of Vitas Laboratories LLC and Beach Tox LLC, two testing laboratories, used access to beneficiary and medical provider information from prior laboratory testing orders to submit fraudulent claims for urine drug test and other laboratory tests, including respiratory pathogen panel and COVID-19 tests, that were not actually ordered or performed. The DOJ also claims Taylor filed hundreds of claims for beneficiaries after they had died or otherwise ceased providing samples.
Several luxury cars were seen being removed from Taylor's home in Central City outside of Lavaca on Tuesday by law enforcement agents. Several of his businesses in Fort Smith were also raided.
Taylor has been arrested by U.S. Marshals.
His arrest, along with 14 others, is part of a nationwide investigation combating health care fraud.
“While the COVID-19 pandemic was raging, and Americans were suffering from the economic and health crisis brought on by this pandemic, these defendants were allegedly scheming to steal millions of dollars set aside to help ailing Americans through COVID-19 testing and other federal health-care programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes. “This case demonstrates the importance of investigating and prosecuting those who would seek to line their own pockets by stealing funds set aside to help those struggling with the symptoms of COVID-19 and other health ailments.”
Check back for updates to this developing story.