Man Pleads Guilty to $51 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Keaton Langston Admits Role in Exploitative Health Care Conspiracy Involving Kickbacks

NEWARK, N.J. – In a significant legal development, Keaton Langston, a 39-year-old Mississippi man linked to pharmacies, durable medical equipment companies, and a laboratory, has confessed to orchestrating a health care fraud scheme that swindled Medicare out of more than $51 million. The announcement was made today by Caroline Sadlowski, Attorney for the United States.

Langston entered his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit health care fraud before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court. This plea is the culmination of an extensive investigation involving multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.

The fraud scheme operated by Langston involved offering kickbacks and bribes to doctors in exchange for their orders for medical equipment, genetic cancer screening tests, and compounded medications that were not medically necessary. These illicit orders were used to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, resulting in about $51 million in payments to the involved companies. Langston personally profited approximately $10 million from these transactions.

The conspiracy was partly masked by sham contracts intended to make payments for doctors’ orders appear as legitimate marketing and referral service fees. These deceptive practices were exposed through diligent investigative work, showcasing a systematic abuse of the health care system intended to exploit vulnerable medical benefit programs for personal gain.

Langston faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, which could be significantly higher. Sentencing is scheduled for October 1, 2024.

This case highlights the ongoing challenges in the fight against healthcare fraud and the continued efforts by federal agencies to bring offenders to justice, ensuring the integrity of the nation's healthcare systems.