Lavaca man charged with defrauding U.S. of more than $88 million

A 42-year-old Lavaca man has been charged with attempting to defraud the United States for more than $88 million.

Billy Joe Taylor, who owns testing laboratories Vitas Laboratories LLC and Beach Tox LLC, allegedly made more than $42 million of the $88 million in false and fraudulent claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, prosecutors said.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Taylor used patient and medical-provider information from lab testing to submit claims for tests, including respiratory pathogen panel and COVID-19 tests that did not actually take place, the DOJ contends.

The complaint also alleges Taylor submitted hundreds of claims for people after they had died or otherwise ceased providing samples.

Read more: https://www.swtimes.com/story/news/local/2021/05/26/billy-joe-taylor-lavaca-charged-defrauding-government-88-million/7445913002/
(Fort Smith Times Record)