Volume 5, Issue 7 • Feb. 17, 2023

This week, we recognized Valentine’s Day and issued an important Consumer Alert for those looking for love online.

Romance scams cost Americans more than $1 billion last year and that number is expected to go even higher as more and more people use the internet to search for their perfect match.

While millions of people use dating apps to find companionship, others may be solicited through social media or even be directly contacted by a stranger via email—so it is important to take steps to guard your heart and your wallet.

Steps like:

• Make social media accounts private;
• Only talk with verified users on dating sites;
• Ask a friend or family member for advice before meeting a match in person; and
• Never send money or financial information to a love interest met online.

For more tips, check out our Scams at a Glance: Swindling Sweethearts resource at MyFloridaLegal.com/ScamsAtAGlance.

By learning how to spot a sweetheart swindler, you can avoid romance scams and help us build a Stronger, Safer Florida.

Attorney General Ashley Moody Demands President Biden Declare Mexican Drug Cartels Terrorist Organizations, Space Coast Daily

Moody to Biden: Declare Mexican drug cartels terrorist organizations, Florida’s Voice

Twenty-one attorneys general want Biden to designate Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, The Center Square

Orlando physician group paying $2 million for allegedly inflating Medicare, Medicaid claims, Orlando-News.com

Florida Cardiology, P.A. And 10 Physicians Agree To Pay $2 Million To Settle False Claims Act Liability

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Florida Cardiology, P.A., Sandeep Bajaj, Karan Reddy, and eight other physicians have agreed to pay the United States and the State of Florida $2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting inflated claims to Medicare and Medicaid and for billing while the physicians were outside the United States.

The United States and the State of Florida previously intervened in a whistleblower lawsuit against Florida Cardiology and the physician-defendants on June 27, 2022. The lawsuit and settlement relate to the submission of claims that were improperly billed or performed, and submitted or caused to be submitted by Florida Cardiology, Sandeep Bajaj, Abbas Ali, Karan Reddy, Claudio Manubens, Milan Kothari, Saroj Tampira, Sayed Hussain, Raviprasad Subraya, Harish Patil, and Edwin Martinez.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The defendants in this case attempted to rip off taxpayers—even going as far as billing Medicaid and Medicare for services they claimed were provided to patients in Florida while these doctors were actually out of the country. As a result of their brazen scheme and the great work of whistleblowers, my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and our federal partners, these defendants will now pay for ripping off taxpayers.” More.

This week, Attorney General Ashley Moody said goodbye to Chief of Staff Richard Martin and thanked him for his hard work and dedicated service to the citizens of Florida. Since 2022, Richard served as the agency's Chief of Staff, and previously served as General Counsel. Gov. Ron DeSantis recently appointed Richard to serve as a judge on the Hillsborough County Court. He will be missed!