Most Wanted Health Care Fraud

Fugitive sought for stealing the quality of life from the sick

February 01, 2010

FLORIDA FUGITIVE NEWS -- A woman most wanted for health care fraud, Magda Luz Lavin, is a hunted offender eluding the FBI. This woman, was not only ripping-off the United States Medicare program, but also depriving HIV positive patients of their medical treatment. In other words, stealing the quality of life from the sick! Additionally, this woman's criminal conspiracy was uncovered during a 2005 initiative by federal and state law enforcement in south Florida to prosecute health care fraud offenders using federal criminal and civil health care fraud statutes.

During that time, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, R. Alexander Acosta noted that the U.S. Department of Justice had charged sixty-four defendants in twenty-eight separate criminal cases. The fraud in these cases resulted in approximate losses to Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurance programs of more than $20 million. Magda Luz Lavin's October 2005 indictment was among those cases highlighted by the former United States Attorney Acosta.

Commenting on the 2005 crackdown on health care fraud in Florida, the then Florida Attorney General, Charlie Crist said: "These cases pose a serious threat to the citizens of Florida. In particular, however, there are few actions lower than trying to profit from drugs intended for AIDS patients. These arrests represent an outstanding example of teamwork paying off for the people of Florida. U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta and his team were wonderful partners in this successful effort to shut down a black market operation."

Furthermore, the Magda Luz Lavin case directly stemmed from an investigation which also resulted in four separate Indictments for health care fraud against thirteen defendants, including three doctors, Jose Joaquin Vega, Jorge Humberto Forcada, and Clark Carlton Mitchell, who were convicted in 2006 of various felony charges and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 33 to 54 months. Others charged were Leonardo Javier Bolanos and Robert Peter Sauve owners of two Miami Beach clinics, the Bolanos Institute, and Lefebvre Institute Corporation, as well as the clinics' employees, Alejandra Vanessa Carnaru, Joseph Shane Elliott, Rebeca Nereyda Nunez and Orlando Amigo.

Magda Luz Lavin owned and operated two medical clinics, Alternative Day Spa in Miami, and Alternative Treatment programs in Key West. The clinics provided medications to HIV(+) patients through intravenous infusion treatments. However, the clinics also submitted false claims to the Medicare program seeking reimbursements for the cost of infusion treatments containing dosages of Neupogen and Procrit a.k.a. "Epogen" that was supposedly provided to patients. Additionally, the patients often received no treatment or instead an infusion of vitamin B and vitamin C injected into an IV bag of normal saline solution. Some patients were enticed by the clinics to sign false treatment sheets in exchange for kickback payments. Lavin routinely had fraudulent Medicare claims submitted on behalf of her clinics and was reimbursed approximately $5 million for those false claims.

On November 9, 2005, Magda Lavin was initially arrested and released after being charged in federal Indictment with twelve counts of conspiracy and health care fraud. Ten months later in September 2006, Lavin's trial began, as the trial progressed Lavin foreseen her impending conviction and decided to take flight. Subsequently, a warrant was issued for her failure to appear in federal court.

In December of 2006, due to the overwhelming evidence collected by the FBI and presented by the prosecution, Assistant U.S. attorney Barbara Martinez Wright, the trial concluded with Lavin convicted in absentia on all criminal counts. Lavin was then sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison. Unfortunately, Lavin continues to postpone her imprisonment, and it is believed she has sought refuge in her country of birth - Colombia.

Magda Luz Lavin is described as:

• Birth Date: August 16, 1958
• Place of Birth: Colombia
• Height: 62 inches
• Weight: 130 pounds
• Eyes: Black
• Hair: Black
• Sex: Female
• Race: Hispanic
• NCIC: W971116364
• Nationality:Colombian
• Occupations: Professional - Medical Clinic owner and operator, Interior design business owner and operator

Magda Luz Lavin has aliases:

• Magda L. Restrepo
• Magda L. Lair

Lastly, being that Lavin is a professional, she may seek work in a large city in Colombia such as Bogota or Medellin. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Magda Luz Lavin, a most wanted hunted offender eluding surrender to the FBI, is asked to contact their local FBI office. Persons outside the United States contact the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.