FBI Raid Nets South Florida Organized Crime Suspects
MIAMI (CBS4) -- More than a dozen organized crime suspects were rounded up and arrested early Wednesday across South Florida in a major FBI raid.
The organized crime suspects are from an alleged Eastern European ring operating in both South Florida, Los Angeles and Denver, law enforcement sources told CBS4's Jorge Estevez.
At a news conference today, U.S. Attorney Wilfedo Ferrer revealed that those arrested participated in a number of frauds, including medicare, credit card, and money laundering.
Agents say the illegal activities included health care fraud at two locations: the first, as far back as 2007, at Hallandale Medical Associates and also at the Family Chiropractic Center in North Miami Beach.
"They allegedly paid individuals to refer patients to these clinics including individuals that were involved in staged or fake care accidents," said Ferrer.
The arrests represent the largest take down of what agents call a Eurasian organized crime ring. Eurasian organized crime around since the early 90's, the FBI ranks it as the highest priority
"As a result of such fraud we all pay higher interest rates on credit cards and higher health care costs," said FBI Agent John Gilles. "It directly threatens our national security because of the economic impact level of violence and hierarchy of structure overseas.
FBI agents say the case is far from being closed. They are still looking for three more people, two of which may be out of the country.
