Ruben E. Rodriguez and Maria Victoria Suarez are under indictment for a second time for paying the employee of an ambulance company to provide information on patients transferred to hospital and medical clinics. The couple has allegedly been involved in the scheme since 1995. The couple faces two separate federal cases in which they are accused of selling medical records with patient contact and medical diagnosis information to personal injury lawyers. The couple was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by attorneys who settled the cases.
In the prior case against the couple which is still pending, Rodriguez admitted to paying JMH ultrasound technician Rebecca Garcia $1000 per month for the medical records of hundreds of patients with various injuries resulting from slip-and-fall accidents, car-crash injuries, gunshot wounds and stabbings. Suarez was also an employee at JMH and helped set up the scheme. Garcia was convicted for her role in providing the medical records and was sentenced to a 10-month prison sentence. The patient records were then sold to personal injury lawyers who paid 35% of any recovery to Rodriguez and Suarez. One personal-injury lawyer allegedly wrote 27 checks totaling $85,250 to Rodriguez through a shell company.
The current indictment involves a very similar scheme wherein Rodriguez paid an employee of the ambulance company American Medical Response (AMR) and made several payments of $1000 to $2000 to the employee to supply the medical records. The couple then proceeded to sale the medical records to personal injury lawyers and health care clinics. "The alleged behavior is in violation of specific company policies and the employee was terminated," said a spokesman for AMR.
Several attorneys are also under investigation their alleged involvement in the scheme. "Under Florida state bar rules, lawyers are not permitted to solicit clients by phone or at their home or hospital," said Florida criminal defense lawyer John Musca. G. Walter Araujo has not been charged but the Florida Bar is investigating him for ethics rule violations. Other personal injury lawyers have also been implicated in the scheme and are under investigation.Rodriguez previously had his bond revoked and remains in custody in connection with the AMR case for allegedly tampering with grand jury witnesses. Rodriguez faces additional charges under the JMH case of conspiracy, computer fraud and identity theft. Suarez is free on bond.
Musca Law Firm had over 100 years of combined legal experience with convenient offices located across the State of Florida. Our Florida criminal defense team will aggressively defend your rights on the State and Federal level. The prosecution is looking to punish you to the fullest extent of the law. You need a knowledgeable attorney that will watch over you. Contact Musca Law for a free, comprehensive review of your case.
