Puerto Rico – Today, United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announced criminal charges against four defendants in connection with two separate schemes to commit health care fraud. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to rooting out health care fraud and prosecuting the criminals who perpetrate these crimes. These fraud schemes are dangerous and often result in physical and emotional harm to patients, including through medically unnecessary treatment or the failure to provide the correct treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the integrity of our health care programs.”
The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Muldrow are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. Today’s Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
Today’s coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The following individuals were charged in the District of Puerto Rico: Josué Saez Rodríguez and Chancey Irmaries Olmed Pérez in Criminal Case 26-239 (FAB); and Carlos Andrés Rendón Bermúdez and Jandiel Santos Rodríguez in Criminal Case 26-240 (GMM).
Josué Saez Rodríguez, 42, and Chancey Irmaries Olmed Pérez, 40, both of Comerío, Puerto Rico, were charged by Indictment with 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud), and 21 U.S.C. § 331(k) (Misbranding of Drugs) in connection with a conspiracy and scheme and artifice to defraud which involved the advertising, communication, sale, and distribution of products for defendants’ financial gain and profit which defendants were not authorized to possess and distribute. The products included Semaglutide, Mounjaro, Steroids, and Tirzepatide. Saez Rodríguez was also charged with 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney José A. Contreras of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
Carlos Andrés Rendón Bermúdez, 32, of Columbus, Ohio, and Jandiel Santos Rodríguez, 22, of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, were charged by Indictment with 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (Mail Fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud), and 21 U.S.C. § 331(k) (Misbranding of Devices) in connection with a scheme and artifice to defraud to perform dental services without proper licensing. Rendón Bermúdez was also charged with 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2) (False Statements). As alleged in the Indictment, Rendón Bermúdez performed dental procedures on patients without a valid license to practice dentistry. These procedures included application of braces, teeth whitening, dental cleaning, veneer application, and cavities. He also grinded patients’ teeth using an electric grinding tool, administered anesthesia to patients, and provided prescription antibiotics following dental procedures. Santos Rodríguez was Rendón Bermúdez’s representative in Puerto Rico and coordinated dental appointments. He advertised dental services on social media and falsely told patients that Rendón Bermúdez was a licensed dentist. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jose A. Contreras of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
“Health care fraud threatens both public resources and public safety,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “When individuals abuse health care programs for financial gain, they jeopardize critical services, exploit vulnerable populations, and erode confidence in the systems designed to help those in need. The FBI will continue working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to investigate these schemes, protect patients, and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”
“The FDA regulates medical devices as part of its mission to protect the public health, which includes ensuring that prescription dental devices are lawfully obtained, distributed, and dispensed,” said Special Agent in Charge Juan Berríos, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who fraudulently dispense prescription devices to unsuspecting patients.”
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.
Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, in particular, worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division and the following law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown: FBI, FDA, Police of Puerto Rico and San Juan Municipal Police as part of the Caribbean HEAT (Healthcare Enforcement and Accountability Task Force).
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
