Robert Lake, 62, of East Rockaway, New York, was arrested at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport after being indicted for federal health care fraud, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Lake, a licensed prosthetist and orthotist, operated durable medical equipment supply businesses, including Triseto and Ortho Works. From 2017 to July 2019, he purchased doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces and submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare.
When Medicare revoked Triseto’s enrollment in July 2019, Lake continued his illegal activities, selling doctors’ orders through his marketing company, Cranial Scientific, in exchange for kickbacks. Lake is accused of conspiring with others, including Patrick Haydel, a Houma resident who pleaded guilty to involvement in the scheme.
The fraudulent claims, involving products that some physicians never signed for, led to many Medicare beneficiaries receiving unnecessary equipment. After investigators executed a search warrant on Haydel’s business, Lake transferred more than $2 million to a Philippine account.
Together, Lake and Haydel submitted over $17 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare, receiving more than $8 million in reimbursements. Lake faces up to 10 years in prison, along with hefty fines and restitution, for his role in the scam.
