15 Suspects Charged In Fraud & Corruption Scheme At VA Medical Centers

Spokane VA Medical Center

Ten employees of two South Florida VA Medical Centers face charges in what's being described as a widespread corruption and fraud scheme.

"I am very saddened to be standing here, yet again, to discuss issues that affect services being provided to our military men and women who are so deserving."

U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan says the suspects ripped off millions from taxpayers and our veterans.

The employees, working in the logistics departements of both facilities in West Palm Beach and Miami, are accused of placing orders with vendors that were inflated or phony, and when those vendors got paid, the staffers would get a share of the money.

Three current employees at the West Palm VA, along with a former worker there are among those charged, as well as six employees at Miami's VA and five people working for vendors who investigators say were in on the scheme.

Here are details on those charged in this case:

West Palm Beach VA employees Clinton Purvis, 52, of West Palm Beach, Christopher Young, 44, of West Palm Beach, and Kenneth Scott, 59, of Riviera Beach, as well as former West Palm Beach VA employee Robert “Bob” Johnson, 62, of West Palm Beach, were charged in a single indictment with offenses that include conspiracy to commit health care fraud, substantive counts of health care fraud, and bribery. Miami VA Medical Center employees Waymon Melvon Woods, 58, of Miami, Don Anderson, 59, of Port St. Lucie, Jose Eugenio Cuervo, 53, of Miramar, Donnie Shatek Hawes, 35, of Cutler Bay, and Robert Lee James Harris, 44, of Miami Gardens, as well as former employee Eugene Campbell, 60, of Miami Gardens, were each charged in separate indictments with bribery offenses. VA supply vendors Jorge Flores, 45, of Delray Beach, Earron Starks, 49, of Hallandale Beach, CarlichaStarks, 40, of Hallandale Beach, and Robert Kozak, 73, of Boca Raton, have been charged in criminal informations with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. 

Separately, Lisa M. Anderson, 48, of Delray Beach, has been charged with making false statements in connection with an application filed with the VA to have one of the vendor companies falsely designated as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.  

Photo: Getty Images


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