Jury convicts former NFL player Keith J Gray in $328 million Medicare fraud scheme involving kickbacks

Former UConn shot standout and Texas laboratory proprietor Keith J. Gray was convicted Thursday for his relation successful a wide-ranging familial investigating fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced Friday.

According to investigators, the cardiovascular investigating strategy generated up to $328 cardinal successful fraudulent claims. Gray, who ne'er appeared successful a regular play NFL game, owns Axis Professional Labs and Kingdom Health Laboratory.

He was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to wage and person wellness attraction kickbacks, 5 counts of violating the anti-kickback statute. Gray besides faces 3 counts of wealth laundering, a quality merchandise from the DOJ confirmed.

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Texas laboratory proprietor and erstwhile NFL subordinate Keith J. Gray was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to wage and person wellness attraction kickbacks. Gray faces 5 counts of violating the anti-kickback statute and 3 counts of wealth laundering. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Prosecutors said Gray knowingly billed Medicare for "medically unnecessary familial tests designed to measure the hazard of assorted cardiovascular diseases and conditions." According to officials, Gray provided kickbacks successful instrumentality for referrals of DNA samples and executed trial orders authorizing the procedures.

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Marketers would question retired Medicare beneficiaries and "doctor chase" to uncover the individuality of the beneficiaries' superior attraction physicians. Prosecutors said that erstwhile an individual’s individuality was obtained, a doc was believed to person been pressured into approving the tests.

Fabricated documents and invoices were utilized to effort and conceal payments that listed charges for "marketing" hours. Another facet of the cognition progressive Gray allegedly mischaracterizing the payments arsenic "software" expenses oregon labeling them arsenic non-existent loans.

Keith Gray of the Carolina Panthers poses for his 2009 NFL headshot astatine photograph time successful Charlotte, North Carolina. (NFL Photos )

During the trial, prosecutors presented grounds including substance messages betwixt Gray and a co-conspirator. The messages appeared to beryllium enthusiastic exchanges betwixt the 2 implicit the anticipation of the wealth they were gaining from Medicare.

"$ent, you should person it immoderate infinitesimal if you don’t already. Get it?" Gray past replied by saying, "Sorry I was filling my bathtub with ones. Yes lol."

Texas laboratory proprietor and erstwhile NFL subordinate Keith J. Gray was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to wage and person wellness attraction kickbacks. Gray faces up to 10 years successful situation for each count.

Axis and Kingdom billed Medicare an estimated $328 cardinal for mendacious claims, portion Medicare paid claims totaling astir $54 million. A sentencing day for Gray was not instantly announced. He faces up to 10 years successful situation for each count.

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Gray was a cardinal contributor to the Huskies, starting each crippled successful 2007. He signed with the Carolina Panthers arsenic an undrafted escaped cause aft college.

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