Health Information Management

Guilty plea in identity theft case

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, January 15, 2007

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Isis Machado, former front desk coordinator at the Cleveland Clinic, in Weston, FL, pleaded guilty January 11 to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, identity theft, and wrongful disclosure of individual health information, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

According to prosecutors, Machado used her position at the Cleveland Clinic to download the information of more than 1,000 patients from May 2005 to June 2006. She then sold the data to Fernando Ferrer, Jr., her cousin, who used the stolen Social Security numbers, names, dates of birth, and Medicare numbers to submit approximately $7 million in false Medicare claims.

Machado could receive a maximum five years in prison and a $250,000 fine (in addition to restitution). Her sentencing is scheduled for April 27. Ferrer's trial starts January 22.



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