An Irving man pleaded guilty today to submitting fraudulent insurance claims for COVID-19 testing, resulting in a more than $7 million loss to insurers.
Federal prosecutors say 40-year-old Terrance Barnard of Irving was a contract lab technician, meaning he went from office to office. That also meant he had access to patient records.
According to plea papers, Barnard admitted he used burner cell phones to snap pictures of private, patient information, from lab to lab during the COVID pandemic. That patient information gave him birthdays, insurance numbers, and other inside information. He and his co-conspirators then submitted fake claims for COVID tests that were never performed to insurance giants like Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Health Care, Aetna, and Humana.
In all, they submitted $30 million in claims and were paid more than $7 million in reimbursements for fake testing.
Prosecutors say Bernard used it to buy two residences, six vehicles, and six luxury watches. All of that now belongs to the Government. He also has to forfeit $2.5 million in funds from numerous bank accounts.
Mr. Barnard now faces up to seven years in federal prison.
Also charged in the scheme were Connie Jo Clampitt, 52, William Paul Gray, 50, and Don Hogg, 37. Clampitt, Hogg, and Gray have each pled guilty and are pending sentencing.
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