Robert Desselle, 47, was sentenced Friday to 57 months in federal prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and paying and receiving health care kickbacks, according to the Department of Justice. In addition to prison time, Desselle must pay $4.5 million in restitution and forfeit $2.1 million in criminal proceeds.
Desselle pleaded guilty in February 2025. Court documents show that from June 2018 to December 2020, Desselle and his co-conspirators targeted vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries, convincing them to take unnecessary genetic tests. He hired non-medical recruiters to approach beneficiaries at grocery stores, pharmacies, and car dealerships using deceptive tactics.
He then bribed a telemedicine company to produce fraudulent doctor’s orders. These orders, along with test kits, were sent to laboratories, which submitted $11.5 million in false claims to Medicare and paid kickbacks to Desselle and others for referrals. Medicare ultimately paid $4.5 million on these claims, while Desselle personally pocketed over $2.1 million.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) investigated the case. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank announced the sentence. Trial Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section handled the prosecution.
This case is part of the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, which has charged over 5,800 defendants since 2007, involving more than $30 billion in fraudulent claims.
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