After CBS News investigation, charges filed in health care fraud case
Former college and professional football linebacker Monty Grow made his first appearance in a federal court in Miami Tuesday afternoon.
He is charged with conspiracy to defraud the government, healthcare fraud, taking kickbacks and money laundering for his part in the nationwide fraud that CBS News exposed last year.
- PART I: “Free” Pain Meds For Veterans Cost Taxpayers Big Bucks
- PART II: Doctors “Complicit” In Costly Abuse Of Military Health Benefits
One of the people working for Grow was Deanna Dutting. She peddled pain creams to members of the military at no cost to them.
“Every patient I have loves these products,” she said during a hidden-camera conversation.
“Here’s these amazing creams. Completely free. All you got to do is type in your TRICARE number online and submit it,” she said.
Dutting told a CBS News producer that TRICARE, the military’s health benefit plan, paid out roughly $25,000 for a one-month supply.
“If you want to feel bad or do your own research, just like the rest of us did, but we got over it real quick once we started making our money, you know what I mean?” she said.
Dutting turned herself in last Friday to face a charge of conspiracy to receive kickbacks. She was just one of dozens working with Grow, generating business for a compounding pharmacy in Florida.
When the CBS News producer asked Dutting how much the pharmacy was making off the creams, she replied, “Oh, millions.”
