A fugitive accused of helping orchestrate one of the largest Medicare fraud conspiracies in U.S. history has been captured after nearly two years on the run.
Federal authorities said Herbert Leon Kimble, 60, was arrested in the Philippines and returned to the United States to face proceedings connected to a healthcare fraud scheme that allegedly generated more than $1.2 billion in Medicare billings.
FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted the arrest in a post on X, writing, “If you defraud the American people….I told you we WILL find you!”
He added, “We are just getting started!”
Vice President JD Vance, who leads the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, also praised the arrest and credited the task force’s partnership with the FBI.
“Our message is simple. If you defraud the American people, we will find you and we will bring you to justice,” Vance wrote on X.
He added that Kimble allegedly preyed on elderly Americans and cost taxpayers more than $1 billion.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Kimble’s attempt to avoid accountability ultimately failed.
“Instead of facing accountability for his $1.2 billion Medicare fraud crimes in the United States, Kimble fled to the Philippines hoping to escape justice,” Blanche wrote on X. “That plan failed.”
Prosecutors allege Kimble played a central role in a healthcare fraud operation that generated more than $1.2 billion in Medicare billings and affected thousands of beneficiaries, many of them elderly Americans.
Investigators contend the scheme relied on telemarketing networks and medical equipment suppliers to promote orthopedic braces and other durable medical equipment, often without legitimate medical necessity, according to the Grants Pass Tribune.
Authorities have said telemedicine arrangements were used to obtain prescriptions and support reimbursement claims, allowing the operation to generate large volumes of Medicare billings over several years.
Federal officials estimate the conspiracy was responsible for more than $1.2 billion in claims, making it one of the largest healthcare fraud cases ever pursued by the government.
According to federal prosecutors, Kimble previously pleaded guilty in 2019 to multiple offenses, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, healthcare fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, making false claims, and offering kickbacks and bribes.
Authorities said Kimble failed to appear for a scheduled sentencing hearing in August 2024, prompting the issuance of a federal arrest warrant and an international search effort.
Investigators allege he fled the United States rather than face sentencing, leading authorities to pursue him across multiple countries.
The FBI credited cooperation between U.S. law enforcement agencies and Philippine authorities for locating and apprehending Kimble.
Officials said the international effort ultimately ended a manhunt that had lasted nearly two years.
Kimble’s arrest represents the second capture from the FBI’s recently launched Most Wanted Fraudsters list, an initiative designed to highlight major financial crime fugitives accused of causing substantial economic harm.
The arrest follows the recent apprehension of Said Abdullahi Ereg, who was wanted on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
The arrest follows the Department of Justice’s recent launch of a National Fraud Enforcement Division aimed at expanding federal efforts to combat large-scale financial crimes, according to WHMI.
Federal officials have said healthcare fraud remains a priority enforcement area because fraudulent claims divert taxpayer funds intended for legitimate medical care and place additional strain on government healthcare programs.
Kimble is now expected to face proceedings related to both his earlier guilty plea and his failure to appear for sentencing.
While authorities have not announced a timetable for those proceedings, his return to U.S. custody closes a lengthy international search and marks a significant development in one of the largest alleged Medicare fraud conspiracies ever uncovered by federal investigators.
