A Houston podiatrist with offices in Pharr and San Juan has pleaded guilty in a health care fraud case.
Valley Medical Foot Care owner Franklin Beltre appeared before a federal U.S. District Court Judge Randy Crane in McAllen on Wednesday morning.
The 39-year-old podiatrist admitted to submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
Federal prosecutors told Action 4 News that Beltre billed Medicare and Medicare for services performed while he was vacationing outside of Texas.
Prosecutors said the services were actually performed by Manuela K. Alana, a 40-year-old unlicensed podiatrist working for him.
Court records show that Beltre filed more than $536,000 dollars worth of false claims were submitted since August 2004.
Alana pleaded guilty in her case back in December is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9th.
Beltre will be sentenced on April 12th.
Both Alana and Beltre have been permitted to remain on bond until their sentencing.
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