Fresno Podiatrist and Pharma Rep Sentenced for $3.2M Health Care Fraud Involving Unlicensed Procedures
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston has sentenced Felipe Ruiz, a podiatrist from Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, a pharmaceutical sales representative from Clovis, to 63 months in prison for their roles in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The fraud involved unlicensed medical procedures performed by Aguirre, who was not a licensed medical professional. Ruiz, the owner of West Coast Podiatry Inc., allowed Aguirre to perform skin grafts and other medical procedures on patients, including those with severe wounds and foot amputations, without proper medical supervision. The fraudulent activities took place between June 2021 and January 2024, during which Ruiz and Aguirre submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal, totaling approximately $3.2 million. The court also ordered the forfeiture of nine properties and imposed personal forfeiture money judgments against both individuals.