Fugitive healthcare fraudster sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for role in $400M conspiracy
A man who was once an international fugitive—responsible for one of the largest healthcare fraud schemes in history—has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a federal judge this week, with the additional stipulation that he will not be eligible for parole.
Herbert Kimble, 60, was also ordered to pay $199 million in restitution, in addition to forfeiting another $195 million that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said he earned as a result of “ill-gotten gains,” stemming from the Medicare fraud scheme.
Authorities said Kimble’s intricate scheme involved the operation of overseas call centers, which lured elderly Medicare beneficiaries into receiving durable medical equipment, stemming from prescriptions provided by multiple telemedicine firms.
Those firms were paid kickbacks by Kimble for the orders, which were billed to Medicare. The equipment, however, was unnecessary and given to patients without legitimate medical need, prosecutors said.
The devices in question were mostly orthopedic braces, such as devices used to support backs, knees and shoulders.
Over time, more than $400 million was billed to the federal government for reimbursement, with Kimble personally pocketing $195 million for his central role in the scheme.
He pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit healthcare fraud in 2019, admitting to also violating federal anti-kickback laws.
Two years on the run
Despite pleading guilty and cooperating with authorities, Kimble fled the country in 2024, failing to appear for multiple court dates. He remained at large for two years, with the DOJ adding that he resided in the Philippines.
The agency said he was finally captured after earning a place on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list, leading to his capture only days later.
“He was returned to the U.S., indicted on three counts of failure to appear, and he entered a new plea agreement encompassing both the original charges and the new indictment,” the DOJ added.
Fleeing justice ultimately earned him the harsher sentence.
“Kimble targeted vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries, pocketed millions, and then fled the country rather than face justice," Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division, said in a statement. “[The court’s] sentence proves that fleeing overseas won’t spare healthcare fraudsters from the reach of the DOJ. We will follow them across continents and bring them back to face the consequences.”
After serving his 20 year sentence, Kimble will be subjected to three years of supervised release, per the court’s judgment.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.