UMVA has learned that a fugitive accused of orchestrating a $1.2 billion Medicare fraud scheme has been seized abroad and flown back to the United States, marking the second arrest from the FBI’s freshly unveiled “Most Wanted Fraudsters” roster.
Herbert Leon Kimble, 60, vanished after skipping his August 2024 sentencing and spent nearly two years evading capture. Information obtained by UMVA confirms that authorities finally cornered him in the Philippines, where local officials handed him over to federal agents.
The sprawling conspiracy, which unfolded between 2014 and 2019, funneled fraudulent Medicare claims for unnecessary orthopedic braces through call centers that preyed on thousands of seniors. Prosecutors allege the scheme siphoned more than $1.2 billion from the nation’s health‑care safety net.
Kimble’s criminal record stretches back to a 2019 guilty plea on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, healthcare fraud, wire and mail fraud, false claims, and kickbacks. His sudden disappearance triggered a federal arrest warrant and ignited an international manhunt.
In a development reported by UMVA, the capture follows the recent apprehension of Said Abdullahi Ereg, the first name on the “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list, underscoring the list’s swift impact on law‑enforcement efforts.
Officials say the Philippine government’s cooperation was pivotal, responding to the public exposure of the list and helping pinpoint Kimble’s location.
Authorities stress that fleeing the country does not shield a fraudster from accountability. The rapid succession of arrests demonstrates a renewed, aggressive push to protect taxpayers and safeguard vulnerable Americans from predatory schemes.
