Telemedicine Owner Pleads Guilty to $46.2M Medicare Fraud Conspiracy

DOJ News

Filed March 27th, 2026

Detected March 28th, 2026

Summary

Christopher Harwood, owner of TelevisitMD, pleaded guilty to a $46.2 million Medicare fraud conspiracy. He admitted to orchestrating a scheme involving unnecessary orthotic braces and genetic tests, leading to $17.9 million in fraudulent claims paid by Medicare. Harwood personally received over $10.4 million from the scheme.

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What changed

Christopher Harwood, owner of the telemedicine company TelevisitMD, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. The scheme involved defrauding Medicare of at least $46.2 million by submitting false claims for medically unnecessary orthotic braces and genetic tests, which were approved by doctors who did not have genuine patient relationships or follow proper telemedicine rules. Harwood admitted to selling these fraudulent doctor's orders and operating DME supply companies that billed Medicare for unneeded braces. The total fraudulent claims amounted to $46.2 million, with Medicare paying $17.9 million, and Harwood personally profiting over $10.4 million.

Harwood has agreed to pay $17.9 million in restitution and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The U.S. Department of Justice, HHS-OIG, and FBI investigated the case. This case highlights the significant penalties associated with health care fraud, including substantial restitution and lengthy prison sentences. Compliance officers in the healthcare sector should review their internal controls and billing practices to prevent similar fraudulent activities and ensure adherence to Medicare regulations.

What to do next

Review internal controls for telemedicine and DME billing practices.
Ensure adherence to Medicare regulations for patient medical necessity and physician oversight.
Assess employee training on fraud prevention and reporting.

Penalties

Agreed to pay $17.9 million in restitution; faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Source document (simplified)

News

Press Release

Telemedicine Company Owner Pleads Guilty to $46M Medicare Fraud Scheme

Friday, March 27, 2026

Share For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The owner of a telemedicine company pleaded guilty today to organizing and leading a $46.2 million Medicare fraud conspiracy that spanned more than six years.

According to court documents, Christopher Harwood, 43, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, admitted that he owned and operated a telemedicine company called TelevisitMD. Harwood and his co-conspirators targeted Medicare patients through aggressive telemarketing campaigns, inducing them to accept orthotic braces and genetic tests that they did not need. Harwood paid doctors to approve orders for these braces and genetic tests. These doctors did not follow Medicare’s rules for telemedicine visits, did not have real medical relationships with the Medicare patients, and often signed orders for orthotic braces and genetic tests without any meaningful interaction with the Medicare patients. Harwood then sold the signed doctors’ orders to durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies, laboratories, and marketers who were part of the scheme.

Harwood also owned and operated multiple DME supply companies based in Florida that he used to bill Medicare millions of dollars for orthotic braces that Medicare patients did not want or need. In total, at least $46.2 million in false and fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare as part of Harwood’s scheme. Medicare paid $17.9 million based on these claims, and Harwood personally received more than $10.4 million from the fraud scheme.

Harwood pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and agreed to pay $17.9 million in restitution. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Harwood faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Updated March 27, 2026 Topic Health Care Fraud Components Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Press Release Number: 26-296