Federal prosecutors drop long-standing fraud charges against doctor from the Philippines

"Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against a doctor from the Philippines who went into hiding after being accused of scamming a military health program out of more than $1 million in the 1990s," The Associated Press reports. "The U.S. Attorney's office for the Western District of Wisconsin moved to drop a fraud indictment against Dr. Alberto Marzan last week, saying the 'prosecution is no longer viable' because of a lack of evidence. U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb formally dismissed the case." An assistant U.S. attorney said "witnesses were no longer available, including one who died, and the age and distance of the case would have made a prosecution impractical"  (Foley, 7/25).

Meanwhile, "A Miami Gardens man has been convicted of bilking about $7 million from Medicare by falsely billing the federal program for HIV therapy services that were never provided to patients," The Miami Herald reports. "Raul S. Ramirez, 55, was convicted Wednesday in federal court of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering in connection with submitting $24 million in phony Medicare claims through RA Medical Center in Miami" (Weaver, 7/24).