Medical Support Services, MediSource, an AMSS vendor

Robert Rintoul, of Westlake, Ohio, was charged in a superseding indictment with fraud conspiracy, mail fraud, health care fraud, and witness tampering related to his involvement in a health care fraud scheme.

News Release

For Release: March 6, 2008

U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Northern District of Ohio

William J. Edwards
Acting United States Attorney

Justin J. Roberts
Assistant U.S. Attorney
(216) 622-3958



William J. Edwards, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a Superseding Indictment was filed charging Robert Rintoul with one count of Fraud Conspiracy, ten counts of Mail Fraud, twenty-seven counts of Health Care Fraud, and one count of Witness Tampering.

Rintoul, age 48, resides in Westlake, Ohio.

The Indictment states that Robert Rintoul, President of Advanced Medical Support Services, Inc. (“AMSS”), a medical supply provider located in Rocky River, Ohio, with a branch in Buffalo, New York, devised a scheme to defraud various health insurance companies, from late 2001, through about April 2007, by conspiring with others to submit fraudulent claims for reimbursement for products and services not provided.

The Indictment alleges that Rintoul requested and obtained fraudulent invoices from a co-conspirator at MediSource, an AMSS vendor located out of Sunbury, Ohio. The invoices were for items that AMSS never ordered or received from MediSource, or showed that AMSS paid a higher purchase price than it actually paid so Rintoul and AMSS could be reimbursed for the higher amount.

The Indictment further charges that AMSS and Rintoul billed the health care benefit programs for a greater number of items than were ordered and shipped and, in some instances, for items that AMSS never sold. These claims and invoices were submitted and caused AMSS and Rintoul to be paid in full, thereby receiving funds to which they were not entitled.

The Indictment further charges that Rintoul sought to prevent a witness, a fellow co-worker at AMSS, from communicating with law enforcement officers regarding the federal offenses of Health Care Fraud, Mail Fraud, and Conspiracy previously mentioned.

As of late 2007, two related defendants have entered into Plea Agreements with the United States Attorney’s Office. Robin Laszlo, Supervisor for Patient Supplies at AMSS, pled guilty in November 2007, to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud. The Plea Agreement states that false claims were submitted to health care providers for products and services not provided, causing AMSS to receive funds to which they were not entitled.

Russell Latimer, President and Founder of MediSource, a vendor of AMSS, pled guilty in December 2007, to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and one count of Obstruction of a Criminal Health Care Investigation. In the Plea Agreement Latimer admits to preparing fraudulent invoices which AMSS then submitted to health insurance companies.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, if any, the defendants’ role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Roberts, following investigation by the Cleveland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A Superseding Indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


http://cleveland.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/2008/healthfraud041508.htm