PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Russian national linked to a Delray Beach durable medical equipment company accused of Medicare fraud allegedly continued billing the federal health program through a new Texas-based business after the original company lost its payments.
Mike and Connie Parrett were among the first of dozens of Medicare recipients to contact WPTV after Sunshine Senior Solutions billed Medicare in Connie's name for equipment she said she never needed or received.
WATCH OUR REPORT:
"I hadn't even been to a doctor for anything," Connie said in early 2025, at the couple's winter home in Fort Myers.
More than a year later, a new Medicare statement arrived at the Parretts' home in Ohio — this time in Mike's name, from a company called Centurion Superior Medical, based in Austin, Texas.
"But it's the same kind of thing. It's billing catheters, and actually there were six different bills," Mike said.
Federal investigators link Centurion to the same people behind Sunshine Senior Solutions. A criminal complaint against a Russian national named Nika Machutadze alleges Centurion billed Medicare in 2025 — after the agency suspended payments to Sunshine Senior Solutions, referred to in the complaint as "DME Company 1," in late 2024.
Business filings for both Sunshine Senior Solutions and Centurion have listed Machutadze as an owner.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
"It just amazes me that these fees are being paid without even any history of the illness to begin with, when you have people that are in need of medical attention and help, and they're being refused," Connie said.
"I'm not surprised that the same people are being targeted over and over and over again," said Dr. David Maimon, a cyberfraud expert who has investigated Sunshine Senior Solutions.
Maimon recommends that potential victims freeze their credit and consider purchasing an identity protection plan.
"As we've seen in this case, the criminals work with lists of identities and oftentimes they will just share the identities with other fraudsters," Maimon said.
He also said the government is working to address the problem, pointing to the Justice Department's new National Fraud Enforcement Division, which investigates Medicare fraud.
"This is all suggesting my opinion that we definitely take the issue of fraud more seriously," Maimon said.
A closer look at Mike Parrett's Medicare statement shows two of the six charges from Centurion — all occurring during 2025 — were denied.
Machutadze was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in January 2026 and arrested in Texas the following month. He is currently in jail while the case works its way through federal court in West Palm Beach.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.