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   Wednesday, January 24, 2007
   Story last updated at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Man convicted of using stolen patient data from hospital

   The Associated Press 

   FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A jury convicted a man Wednesday for his involvement
   in the theft of personal and medical information of more than 1,100 patients
   at a suburban hospital, authorities said.

   Fernando  Ferrer  Jr., 29, of Naples, was found guilty of one count of
   conspiring to defraud the United States, one count of computer fraud, one
   count  of  wrongful  disclosure  of  individually  identifiable health
   information,  and  five  counts of aggravated identity theft, the U.S.
   Attorney's Office said in a statement.

   Isis Machado, 23, of Miami Lakes, worked as a front desk coordinator at
   Cleveland  Clinic in Weston from May 2005 to June 2006. She downloaded
   patient files and then sold them to Ferrer, who then made false Medicare
   claims as owner of Advanced Medical Claims Inc. in Naples, the indictment
   said.

   Ferrer used the information to bill medical providers in Miami for services
   that were not rendered, resulting in $7 million fraudulently billed to
   Medicare, federal investigators said.

   Machado entered a guilty plea Jan. 12 on one count of conspiracy to commit
   computer fraud, identify theft and wrongful disclosure of individual health
   information. Machado then testified against Ferrer.

   Ferrer faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

   Machado faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and
   could be ordered to pay restitution, according to authorities.

   Ferrer and Machado are to be sentenced on April 27.

   The names of their attorneys were not immediately known.
   Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
   published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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