“Registered to be in charge” essentially means being formally signed up to take on leadership responsibility for a specific project, task, or organization. It’s good on paper, except when a fraudster registers. And then that reality could end up being a Medicare scheme that steals $5 million from the U.S. taxpayer. Willie F. Murray was the registered agent of Lab Tess, LLC, a Florida company that on paper provided its customers with COVID-19 testing services. In reality, the only service that Lab Tess provided was committing fraud.
Murray used Lab Tess to submit fraudulent claims for COVID-19 testing services reimbursement to the Health Resources and Services Administration supposedly provided to uninsured individuals that never took place. To complete the scheme, Murray used personal identifying information of individuals incarcerated by the Florida Department of Corrections, individuals falsely reported as having been tested at homeless shelters and electrical substations, and deceased individuals. Murray submitted more than 126,000 fraudulent claims and received reimbursement in the approximate amount of $5,671,611.74, which he used, in part, to purchase real estate properties in South Florida.
On January 26, 2025, Murray was sentenced to over five years in prison for using fake COVID-19 tests to steal $5.6M in federal funds. Murray has also agreed to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account, and seven real properties located in Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Belle Glade, Hollywood, and South Bay, which were purchased using proceeds of the fraud.
Great job by the United States Secret Service in this case.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “Man Sentenced for $5.6M COVID-19 Testing Fraud” published by Newsbreak on January 25, 2025.
Willie F. Murray Jr., 55, of West Park, was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven also ordered Murray to forfeit $5,671,611 in cash, $1,578,925 from a bank account, and six real estate properties located in Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Belle Glade, Hollywood, and South Bay, Florida, the department confirmed.
According to court documents, Murray was the registered agent and manager of Lab Tess, LLC, a Florida company that purportedly provided COVID-19 testing services to its customers, the U.S. attorney’s office said.
