Federal Jury Convicts San Antonio Businessman on Health Care Fraud Charges

In San Antonio this afternoon, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Rafael Enrique Rodriguez for engaging in health care fraud, announced Special Agent in Charge Christopher Cave of the United States Postal Service Office and United States Attorney John F. Bash.

Rodriguez, age 40, of San Antonio, was convicted on six counts of health care fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.  Rodriguez was the owner/operator of 210 Workers with offices providing physical therapy and rehabilitation services in both San Antonio and Salt Lake City, Utah.

Evidence at trial demonstrated that between October 22, 2012 and December 14, 2016, Rodriguez devised a scheme to defraud the Federal Employees Compensation Act program, a federal health care benefit program that provides worker’s compensation services to federal employees.  Specifically, Rodriguez billed the program for physical therapy and treatment using codes indicating that a qualified professional provided those services when, in fact, unlicensed technicians were providing them.  Additionally, Rodriguez used the identity of another individual, a licensed physical therapist, to obtain provider registration with the program without the permission of the therapist.  Rodriguez fraudulently billed the program $8,413,103.14 for these services for which he was paid over $6,300,000.

“The guilty verdict issued today is a testament to the thorough investigation conducted by our agents which uncovered an elaborate scheme to exploit Federal benefits programs for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Cave of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Southern Area Field Office. “The USPS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously investigate these types of cases in order to deter and stop medical providers and beneficiaries from engaging in these fraud schemes.”

Rodriguez faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the health care fraud convictions, up to 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud convictions, and up to two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft conviction.  He remains on bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for September 23, 2019 before United States District Judge David A. Ezra.

Special Agents with the Postal Inspector OIG, Veterans Administration OIG, and Department of Labor OIG investigated this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Gregory J. Surovic prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.

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