Third person charged in alleged $80 million health care fraud scheme

A manager of a chain of physical therapy centers was arrested Thursday in McAllen in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud a federal workers' compensation program, according to court records.

Jessica Marie Kinser appeared in court Thursday on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. His bond was set at $75,000.

Kinser's arrest is related to the investigation into the Texas Federal Wellness Center clinics, according to an indictment.

The chain has locations in Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Edinburg, El Paso, Harlingen, Laredo and McAllen.

The investigation into the clinic began last year, when siblings Ricardo Cano and Rosita Cano Meeks were arrested and accused of using the clinics to bill the Compensation Program Office for more than $80 million. Department of Labor Workers' Compensation for physical therapy services provided to injured federal employees. .

READ ABOUT THE ARRESTS HERE

The alleged scheme took place between 2014 and 2019, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.

“Cano and Meeks allegedly pressured clinics to submit inflated claims for therapies, fictitious doctor visits, excessive therapies, and fraudulent durable medical equipment,” the press release states. “The charges allege that Cano and Meeks directed clinic employees to falsify patients' departure times in medical records in order to conceal exaggerated therapy claims. Meeks was responsible for and oversaw the fraudulent billing, according to the indictment.

The indictment identifies Kinser as a clinic employee who managed employees and operations at various TFWC locations.

Cano, a physician assistant, was the owner of the clinic chain, the indictment states. An unidentified Travis County doctor who supervised, managed and controlled the clinics aided Cano in his plot.

Cano and Meeks have pleaded not guilty to the charges. They are currently free on bail.