Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Florida
Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014
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PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA- Eon L. Menckeberg, aka “Prince," 44, of Chipley, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on six counts of wire fraud, announced Pamela C. Marsh, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The indictment, which was unsealed this afternoon, alleges that Menckeberg injured his ankle in 2012 and sought medical treatment from the Jackson County Hospital in Marianna. The indictment further alleges that, several months later, Menckeberg went to Northwest Florida Community Hospital in Chipley (“NFCH"), seeking elective hyperbaric-oxygen treatment for his ankle wound. To induce NFCH to provide this care, Menckeberg is alleged to have told NFCH staff that he had health insurance through Lloyd’s of London (“Lloyd’s"). He enlisted the help of another person who communicated with NFCH staff to fraudulently confirm that Menckeberg had health insurance with Lloyd’s and that Lloyd’s had authorized the hyperbaric-oxygen treatment. Based on these false statements, NFCH provided Menckeberg with the elective hyperbaric-oxygen treatment at a total cost of approximately $244,901.50.
Menckeberg had his arraignment this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Larry A. Bodiford at the U.S. Courthouse in Panama City. Trial is scheduled for Monday, December 8, 2014, before Judge Richard Smoak.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gayle Littleton.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
