Acupuncturist Sentenced to 34 Months for $9 Million Amtrak Health Care Fraud

Punson Figueroa, a New York-based acupuncturist, was sentenced for her role in a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud Amtrak's health care plan.

Punson Figueroa, 58, of Long Island City, was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison for orchestrating a $9 million health care fraud scheme involving Amtrak, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Figueroa, also known as “Susie,” pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

“Submitting fraudulent claims to steal money harms the public and the health care system. This defendant admitted fleecing the health care system for millions of dollars in illicit claims, and today she learned the punishment for her offense. My office and our partners are committed to stopping health care scams and ensure that guilty participants are punished,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

From January 2019 to June 2022, Figueroa, alongside conspirators, submitted fraudulent claims to Amtrak’s health care plan for services that were either never provided or medically unnecessary. She recruited Amtrak employees, paying them cash in exchange for their personal and insurance information, which was used to file these false claims. Over the course of the scheme, Figueroa paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to the employees.

The scheme was uncovered in part by an undercover law enforcement agent, who posed as an Amtrak employee. During a June 2021 meeting at Figueroa’s office in New York, she instructed the agent to sign his name approximately 30 times for services he had not received, further instructing him to leave the signatures undated. Figueroa then submitted fraudulent claims stating the agent had received acupuncture and physical therapy services on at least seven occasions in May 2021, though he had only visited her office once.

In July 2021, during a second meeting, Figueroa provided the undercover agent with an envelope containing $1,000 in cash. Despite only two visits, she continued to submit dozens of fraudulent claims on his behalf.

In total, Figueroa’s actions led to Amtrak’s health care plan paying out over $9 million in false claims. Along with her prison sentence, Judge Arleo imposed three years of supervised release and ordered Figueroa to pay $9.05 million in restitution.

“This investigation unveiled the mastermind behind a $9 million health care fraud scheme,” DEA – New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said. “I applaud our law enforcement partners whose diligent work put an end to this conspiracy and brought Punson Figueroa to justice to face the consequences of her illegal actions.”

“We remain fully committed to bringing justice to health care providers who target Amtrak’s health care plans as well as Amtrak employees who collude with them,” said Amtrak’s Inspector General, Kevin H. Winters. “We hope this case serves as a deterrent for health care providers and Amtrak employees who may choose to engage in such schemes, and we ask anyone who suspects or observes such fraud to report it to our fraud, waste, and abuse hotline.”

U.S. Attorney Sellinger praised the efforts of special agents from the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, led by Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters, and the Drug Enforcement Administration under Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, as well as the Amtrak Police Department, under Chief of Police Sam Dotson. Their collaborative investigation played a pivotal role in securing Figueroa’s conviction.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine M. Romano and Jessica R. Ecker of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.