Four Defendants Sentenced in Health Care Fraud Investigation

Mark Hernandez, a psychiatrist based in Miami, Florida; Peter Port, owner of Safe Haven Recovery Inc.; Brian Dublynn, Vice President of Safe Haven Recovery; and medical marketer Jennifer Sanford were sentenced in United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, on October 23, 2023, for conspiracy and other charges related to health care fraud. Hernandez was sentenced to 52 months in prison and 3 years’ probation; Port was sentenced to 108 months in prison and 3 years’ probation; Dublynn was sentenced to 42 months in prison and 3 years’ probation; and Sanford was sentenced to time served and 3 years’ probation.The defendants conspired to defraud private health companies by causing Safe Haven, a substance abuse treatment facility in Miami, along with several clinical laboratories, to submit false and fraudulent claims to health insurance plans for addiction treatment services that were not provided as billed and laboratory tests that were not medically necessary. As a result of the scheme, Amtrak’s insurance providers were billed approximately $86,130.