New York Doctor Charged in $6.8M Medicare Fraud Scheme

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment on Tuesday charging Dr. Edgard Salazar, 57, of Armonk, New York, with conspiring to bill Medicare for thousands of consultations that never occurred and millions of dollars of orthotic braces that Medicare patients did not want or need.

According to court documents, telemedicine company TelevisitMD allegedly Salazar to sign pre-filled prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries who did not need the orthotic braces ordered in the prescriptions. Salazar did not examine or treat the beneficiaries and often did not speak to them at all. At times, when Salazar did speak to the beneficiaries, they told Salazar they did not want or need orthotic braces. Salazar signed prescriptions for them anyway. Salazar also billed Medicare for telemedicine consultations that he never performed. Salazar allegedly participated in submitting over $6.8 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.

Christopher Harwood owned and operated TelevisitMD. In March 2026, Harwood pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and agreed to pay $17.9 million in restitution. Last month, Harwood was sentenced to 20 years in prisonLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. for his role in the conspiracy.

Salazar is charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and five counts of health care fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Fraud Division's Health Care Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The Department of Justice's Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/fraud/health-care-fraud-sectionLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.