- Up-and-coming poker personality Billy Joe Taylor was indicted on fraud charges alleging that he defrauded Medicare of $88 million
- The alleged fraud happened through Taylor’s testing laboratories which DOJ suspects abused COVID-19 relief funds and other government incentives
- Investigators have brought a total of 14 defendants on charges of defrauding Medicare, but Taylor’s alleged involvement is the biggest
Known in poker circles as one of the most entertaining streamers, Billy Joe Taylor is now facing $88 million Medicare fraud charges brought on by DOJ.
DOJ Targets “Bildo” in $88M Medicare Fraud Case
Famous for his TCH Live stream, Billy Joe Taylor has come to be known in the poker community as an entertaining caster who was inclined to spend a pretty penny playing poker win or lose. After a while, people started wondering where his money was coming from but so has the Department of Justice, which has brought Taylor, known as Bildo, to most of us poker aficionados, on fraud charges.
According to federal investigators, Taylor is allegedly involved in running fraudulent Medicare schemes to the tune of $88 million by issuing improperly billed tests during and before the pandemic. His home and companies were raided in May, and Taylor himself turned himself in later as he was not present at the locals that federal agents targeted.
He was released on a $100,000 bail bond shortly after his arrest. Now, one of the most entertaining poker streaming personalities is facing difficult times ahead as the Department of Justice has cited Taylor’s name in a lawsuit against 14 defendants who have collectively defrauded Medicare of $143 million, the department explained in a statement. Taylor’s charges alleged the highest amount of money defrauded from the government.
What Is Taylor’s Involvement in All of This?
According to investigators, Taylor has been involved in a multi-million fraud scheme that deprived Medicare of $88 million in relief funds for COVID-19 beneficiaries and ran various other bogus and unnecessary testings before and during the pandemic.
These tests were carried out by Vitas Laboratories LLC in Arkansans and Beach Tox LLC out of California, the DOJ’s complaint stated. Both businesses are owned by Taylor himself. At least $42 million of the sum is attributed to COVID-19 relief testing incentives, which began in 2020.
Taylor allegedly obtained the names and social securities numbers of beneficiaries who were eligible for government-funded testing and then issued bills for testing without actually carrying out the tests. The DOJ outlined other wrongdoings in Taylor’s alleged involvement in the business, including inexperienced training accountants who were taught how to put together the bills and issue them to the government.
Sometimes the laboratories would use the names of deceased people or issue testing in the names of people who never actually ordered them. The fraud targeted doctors, using their names as the ones ordering the tests as well. While these allegations are yet to be proven in court, DOJ is seldom in the habit of taking strong enforcement action against individuals who have not crossed a line.
If the allegations pan out to be true, Taylor could spend up to five years in prison and have to pay back millions in civil penalties and fines. His court case has not been assigned a date yet.
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