North Texas Doctors Sentenced for Healthcare Fraud Scheme
Two twin brothers from North Texas, Dr. Desi Barroga and Deno Barroga, have been sentenced for their involvement in a healthcare fraud scheme that scammed insurance companies out of $45 million. The federal officials announced this shocking news on Thursday.
The Barroga brothers operated a pain management clinic in Dallas, Texas, where they gave thousands of patients pricey pain-relief shots that didn’t even penetrate the skin. They were indicted in November 2023 and pleaded guilty in May 2024 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.
Each brother received a six-and-a-half-year sentence for healthcare fraud, along with an order to pay $9,016,883.10 in restitution. The court documents revealed that the brothers submitted claims for corticosteroid injections that were never administered and told insurance companies they performed up to 80 injections per patient per visit.
Thousands of patients attended their clinic monthly, with treatments funded by major insurers like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and United Healthcare. The federal prosecutors stated that the Barrogas created fake medical records and instructed patients to include false information about their treatments.
U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton described the Barrogas’ attempt to cover up their crimes as “bizarre” by pretending to give injections without actually piercing the patients’ skin. The brothers admitted to billing insurers over $45 million and receiving at least $9 million as part of the fraudulent scheme.
As part of their plea agreement, the Barrogas agreed to surrender their DEA registrations and forfeit their medical licenses. This case serves as a reminder to always be vigilant about the healthcare services we receive and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities.