Federal court in Columbia hands down 20-year sentence after prosecutors say scheme generated more than $365 million in fraudulent Medicare claims.
COLUMBIA, SC — A federal judge in South Carolina has sentenced a man once listed among the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters to 20 years in prison for his role in a massive healthcare fraud operation that prosecutors say cost the Medicare program more than $199 million.
Herbert Leon Kimble, 60, of Chicago, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Columbia after admitting his involvement in an international scheme that used telemedicine companies, offshore call centers, and durable medical equipment suppliers to generate medically unnecessary prescriptions for orthotic braces.
While the fraud operation stretched across multiple states and overseas, the case was prosecuted in South Carolina’s federal court system, where prosecutors pursued charges tied to one of the largest Medicare fraud cases handled in the district.
According to court records, the scheme targeted Medicare beneficiaries through deceptive advertising campaigns. Investigators said patient information and physician orders were sold to durable medical equipment companies in exchange for illegal kickbacks that were disguised as legitimate business transactions.
Federal authorities said Kimble coordinated much of the operation from the Philippines, directing the acquisition of patients and prescriptions that were ultimately used to support fraudulent Medicare billing.
Prosecutors determined the scheme generated more than $365 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare, resulting in more than $199 million in payments from the federal healthcare program. Authorities said Kimble personally received more than $195 million from the operation and used some of the proceeds to purchase luxury property in the Philippines.
The case also included an international manhunt after Kimble failed to appear for court proceedings in 2024. Federal authorities placed him on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list before locating and arresting him in the Philippines. He was later returned to the United States to face sentencing.
South Carolina U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling said the sentence reflects the seriousness of a scheme that exploited both Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.
In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. ordered Kimble to pay more than $199 million in restitution to Medicare and forfeit more than $195 million in proceeds connected to the fraud. He will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Usher prosecuted the matter in the District of South Carolina.
The case highlights the continuing role of South Carolina’s federal courts in prosecuting large-scale healthcare fraud cases with national and international connections, even when the defendants and criminal activity extend far beyond the state’s borders.
© 2026 CoastalCarolinaNews.com. All rights reserved.
Be the first to comment