Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A pharmacist from Edinburg, Texas, has been detained on allegations of health care fraud and identity theft, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Cynthia Ann Herrera, aged 48, is accused of orchestrating a scheme targeting the Texas Medicaid Program. Herrera's initial court appearance is scheduled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan Alanis.
The charges detailed in the indictment, returned on April 15, claim that Herrera submitted fraudulent Medicaid claims for prescriptions not authorized by a doctor. The fraudulent activities allegedly took place from 2018 to 2024, leading to over $2 million in undue Medicaid payouts. It is claimed that Herrera utilized doctors' personal information without their knowledge to process these claims.
Herrera faces six counts of health care fraud, each potentially resulting in a 10-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000. She is also charged with six counts of aggravated identity theft, which includes a mandatory two-year sentence to be served consecutively with any other penalties.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the FBI, the Health and Human Services Commission - OIG, the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Texas Department of Insurance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarina S. DiPiazza and Theodore Parran III are assigned to the prosecution.
It's noteworthy that an indictment serves as a formal charge but is not evidence of guilt. The accused remains innocent until proven guilty through proper legal proceedings.
