Texas doctor charged in $240M fraud scheme for allegedly falsely diagnosing patients to buy luxury cars and a jet

A Texas doctor was charged in an indictment unsealed Monday for his role in a $240 million healthcare fraud and international money laundering scheme.

Jorge Zamora-Quezada, M.D., 61, of Mission, Texas, was charged in a seven-count indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Zamora-Quezada, a rheumatologist, falsely diagnosed patients and allegedly administered chemotherapy and other toxic medications to finance a “lavish and opulent lifestyle,” according to the announcement. That included a million-dollar private jet and a Maserati, both emblazoned with his initials "ZQ," according to the indictment.

The physician was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, five counts of healthcare fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He appeared in court Monday and a detention hearing is scheduled for today.

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan said the doctor’s actions jeopardized the health and wellbeing of “innocent children, elderly and disabled victims” who suffered from serious diseases.

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As indicated in the indictment, Zamora-Quezada and his co-conspirators falsely diagnosed patients starting in 2000 with various degenerative diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. They then administered chemotherapy and other toxic medications. They also conducted fraudulent, repetitive and excessive medical procedures in order to increase revenue and fund the doctor’s lifestyle.

He and his co-conspirators transferred proceeds from the conspiracy to purchase private jets, luxury vehicles, high-end clothing and exclusive real estate throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

Zamora-Quezada and his co-conspirators are accused of laundering money through a money exchange house to various accounts maintained by financial institutions in Mexico. They also allegedly created fake patient records and concealed medical information from Medicare authorities by stashing records in what was described as an unsecured and dilapidated barn in the Rio Grande Valley.