Two South Florida men sentenced to 204 and 92 months after $35 million Medicare Advantage brace scheme
Michael Kochen, 42, of Aventura, Florida, who owned dozens of durable medical equipment companies, and Sandro Herek, 56, of Coral Springs, Florida, a telemarketing company owner, were convicted at trial. About $35 million in false claims for medically unnecessary back, knee, shoulder and ankle braces were submitted to Medicare Advantage plans, which paid more than $19 million on them. Kochen paid kickbacks to Herek and others to recruit beneficiaries and to telemedicine companies to obtain prescription orders. Herek oversaw overseas call centers, including in Egypt, that cold-called beneficiaries. In July 2026 Kochen was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison and Herek to 92 months.
- Year
- 2026
- Where
- United States
- Outcome
- Sentenced
- Reported loss
- $19.0 million
- Victims
- Not stated in the sources
- Schemes
- Medicare brace and medical equipment fraud
- Last reviewed
- 2026-10-19
The facts, as recorded
- Kochen, 42, of Aventura, Florida, was a healthcare executive who owned dozens of durable medical equipment companies. Herek, 56, of Coral Springs, Florida, owned a telemarketing company.
- The scheme caused about $35 million in false claims to be submitted to Medicare Advantage plans for medically unnecessary braces for the back, knee, shoulder and ankle. The plans paid more than $19 million on them.
- Kochen paid kickbacks to Herek and others to recruit beneficiaries, and to telemedicine companies to obtain prescription orders used to bill for the braces.
- Herek oversaw overseas call centers, including in Egypt, that cold-called beneficiaries who had not requested services. Representatives often called again after refusals and used high-pressure tactics.
- Doctors often issued boilerplate authorizations based solely on call recordings. In many cases they never spoke with the beneficiary, and calls that did occur lasted only minutes and included no real assessment of medical necessity.
- Kochen was convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, six counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, and three counts of paying kickbacks. He was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison.
- Herek was convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, one count of health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, and three counts of receiving kickbacks. He was sentenced to 92 months.
- The sentences were announced on July 30, 2026. Prosecutors said they would pursue forfeiture and recovery of the defendants' gains, and the release gave no restitution amount.
Why this case matters
The defendants sit at opposite ends of the chain. Kochen is described as the equipment company owner who paid for recruits and prescription orders. Herek is the telemarketer who supplied the calls. Both were convicted at trial, not on a plea, and the sentences differ: 204 months for Kochen and 92 months for Herek.
A prescription built from a recording
The most striking detail is how the prescribing worked. According to the account, doctors often issued boilerplate authorizations based solely on call recordings. In many cases they never spoke with the beneficiary, and the calls that did take place lasted only minutes and included no real assessment of whether a brace was necessary.
The caveat
Both defendants were convicted at trial and sentenced, so what is described above is the outcome of a contested case, not a plea. This page relies on a news report that reproduces the prosecutors’ account and on the Inspector General’s own listing, because the US Attorney’s Office page could not be fetched; it does not state dates for the scheme or trial, which neither source gives. The report’s headline gives $19 million while its text gives $35 million in claims and more than $19 million paid, and this page reports the text. Any appeal is not covered here.
Sources
- Two Florida Men Sentenced in $19 Million Medicare Brace Fraud Scheme. Townhall (Scott McClallen). Accessed 2026-10-19. Supports: The defendants and their roles, the $35 million claims and more than $19 million paid, the kickback structure, the overseas call centers, the boilerplate authorizations, the convictions and the 204-month and 92-month sentences.
- Healthcare Executive and Telemarketing Company Owner Sentenced to Prison for Exploiting Elderly Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries in $35 Million Fraud Scheme. US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Accessed 2026-10-19. Supports: The July 30, 2026 listing of the sentences, the $35 million in claims to Medicare Advantage plans and the medically unnecessary durable medical equipment.