Physician Strikes It Rich in Health Care Arena

A Texas doctor used his million-dollar private jet or drove in his Maserati, which were both emblazoned with his initials “ZQ” between his offices in the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio…………he purchased private jets, luxury vehicles, clothing from high-end retailers such as Louis Vuitton and exclusive real estate located throughout the United States and Mexico………..all garnered through his successful clinic operation in deep South Texas………………

McAllen physician charged for role in $240 million health care, money laundering scheme

By CBS 4 News

A McAllen physician has been charged in an indictment for his role in a $240 million health care fraud and international money laundering scheme.

Jorge Zamora-Quezada, 61, of Mission, was charged in a seven-count indictment. He was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five counts of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Zamora-Quezada appeared in court on Monday. He will also be in court on Tuesday for his detention hearing.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Texas said in a release, “As set forth in the indictment, from 2000 through the filing of the indictment, Zamora-Quezada and his co-conspirators falsely diagnosed vulnerable patients — including the young, elderly and disabled, from the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio and elsewhere — with various degenerative diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. He and his co-conspirators then administered chemotherapy and other toxic medications to the patients based on that false diagnosis. In addition to falsely diagnosing patients, Zamora-Quezada and his co-conspirators allegedly conducted a battery of fraudulent, repetitive and excessive medical procedures on patients in order to increase revenue and fund Zamora-Quezada’s lavish and opulent lifestyle.”

The indictment alleges Zamora-Quezada and his co-conspirators flew in Zamora-Quezada’s million-dollar private jet or drove in his Maserati, which were both emblazoned with his initials “ZQ” between his offices in the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio in order to perpetuate the fraud. He and his co-conspirators transferred the proceeds derived from the conspiracy to purchase private jets, luxury vehicles, clothing from high-end retailers such as Louis Vuitton and exclusive real estate located throughout the United States and Mexico. He and his co-conspirators allegedly obstructed investigations by causing the creation of false and fictitious patient records and concealed thousands of medical records from Medicare by stashing them in an unsecured and dilapidated barn located in the Rio Grande Valley.

The indictment also alleges Zamora-Quezada and his co-conspirators laundered the proceeds of their fraud scheme by dissipating, transforming and concealing the source and location of the fraud proceeds by investing such proceeds in commercial and residential real estate in the United States and Mexico. Among other properties, he and his co-conspirators acquired two penthouses in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; a condominium in Aspen, Colorado; a condominium in Punta Mita, Mexico; and multiple homes and commercial properties located throughout Texas. He then created the false appearance of legitimate wealth and income by renting the various commercial and residential properties that he acquired to individuals and entities. Zamora-Quezada and his co-conspirators allegedly laundered the proceeds through a casa de cambio, or money exchange house, to various accounts maintained by financial institutions in Mexico.

The indictment seeks the forfeiture of Zamora-Quezada’s personal jet, Maserati and multiple residential and commercial properties in the United States and Mexico.

The FBI is also seeking to identify potential victims of Zamora-Quezada and his co-conspirators. If you were a patient of Zamora-Quezada from January 2000 through May 2018 and believe you may have been affected by his or his co-conspirators alleged crimes, please contact the FBI via the FBI victim’s hotline, 1-833-432-4873, Option 8, or if you have access to email you may email the task force at ZamoraPatient@fbi.gov. The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes that it investigates and provide these victims with information, assistance services, and resources.

Click here to read the full indictment.