E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
A former Orange County resident has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in illegal kickback schemes involving sober living homes and engaging in firearms trafficking. Darius Moore, 31, who previously lived in Santa Ana and recently resided in North Carolina, received his sentence of 84 months from United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton.
Moore admitted guilt in November 2021 to charges of conspiracy to pay or receive illegal remuneration for patient referrals and soliciting illegal payments for these referrals to clinical treatment facilities. These activities took place between February and December of 2020. During this period, Moore collaborated with addiction treatment facility owners to direct patients to their facilities. Subsequently, Moore received nearly $500,000 in kickbacks on insurance proceeds billed to referred patients' private health insurance plans.
While awaiting trial for the kickback case, Moore violated pretrial restrictions multiple times, including an incident in May 2023 when he sold two firearms and a drum magazine. Following these offenses, a federal grand jury in North Carolina charged him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. After his case was transferred to Los Angeles, Moore pleaded guilty to the firearms charge on February 14.
Moore has remained in federal custody since August 2023. The investigation involved several agencies, including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the California Department of Insurance.
Assistant United States Attorney Nandor F.R. Kiss from the Orange County Office and Trial Attorney Siobhan M. Namazi of the Justice Department's Fraud Section were the prosecutors representing the case.
