Donald Trump has commuted the 50-year sentence of Lawrence Duran, a South Florida man convicted in one of the largest Medicare fraud cases in U.S. history. Duran, co-owner of American Therapeutic Corp., pleaded guilty in 2011 to multiple felonies including health care fraud and money laundering. He and his partner, Marianella Valera, submitted 866,000 false claims and collected more than $87 million, exploiting patients incapable of basic functions, according to prosecutors.
The fraudulent scheme spanned seven clinics across South Florida and Orlando and totaled over $200 million in false billings. Duran was sentenced to 50 years in 2016—the longest Medicare fraud sentence to date—while Valera received 35 years, later reduced to 15.
Duran is the second person in the case to receive clemency from Trump, following the 2020 commutation of Judith Negron, a vice president at a related company used to launder millions in stolen funds. The three lived lavishly, including in a waterfront condo and luxury cars, while defrauding federal health programs for a decade.
Despite issuing a presidential memorandum to crack down on Medicare and Medicaid fraud, Trump chose to pardon one of the most prolific health care fraudsters in American history.
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