A federal jury in Florida has convicted medical-supply operator Sophie Dufort over an US$8.6 million Medicare fraud scheme involving orthotic braces.
Prosecutors said Dufort caused claims to be submitted using prescriptions that were forged or fabricated. The government’s case was that beneficiaries did not need or want many of the braces billed to Medicare, while the documents presented the equipment as medically necessary.
The verdict followed a trial and resolves guilt at the district-court level; sentencing has not yet occurred. Dufort is due to be sentenced in January 2027. The offences carry different statutory maximum penalties, including up to 20 years for the most serious counts, but the court will determine any sentence after considering the applicable law and the parties’ submissions.
The conviction concerns the evidence presented against Dufort and should not be read as a finding against every clinician or beneficiary whose information appeared in the claims.
Official Justice Department release
