Massachusetts Man Sentenced for $4M Medicare Durable Medical Equipment Fraud

A Canton, Massachusetts man, Krishna Gidwani, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme involving durable medical equipment (DME). Gidwani conspired with others to operate a DME business that submitted claims for medically unnecessary and unwanted orthopedic braces, including ankle, wrist, knee, and back braces. Many of the Medicare beneficiaries neither needed nor requested the braces, and the prescriptions frequently bore signatures of physicians who had not treated the patients or prescribed the equipment. This case is part of the Department of Justice's 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which targeted fraudulent schemes impacting healthcare programs for the elderly and disabled. The nationwide crackdown resulted in charges against 324 defendants involving over $14.6 billion in alleged fraud and the illegal diversion of controlled substances. The action highlighted continued regulatory enforcement efforts to combat healthcare fraud, promote compliance with Medicare billing requirements, and protect public payer programs. The case exemplifies risks associated with telemarketing-driven DME order schemes and unauthorized prescribing practices, underscoring the importance of stringent oversight of DME providers and claims submission processes. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office and federal health and law enforcement agencies led the investigation and prosecution, emphasizing interagency collaboration to address healthcare fraud affecting federal insurance programs.