EFTA00189849

United States Attorney's Office 
Southern District of Florida 
NEWS BRIEFING 
To: 
From: 
Acting United States Attorney 
, Acting First Assistant 
Executive Assistant 
Special Counsel 
Acting Chief, Criminal Division 
Deputy Chief, Criminal Division 
Chief, Appellate Division 
Chief, Asset Forfeiture Division 
Chief, Civil Division 
Acting Chief, PINS 
Chief, Narcotics 
Chief, Economic and Environmental Crimes Section 
Chief, Major Crimes Section 
Chief, Special Prosecutions 
Acting Deputy Chief, Ft. Lauderdale 
Deputy Chief, West Palm Beach 
Deputy Chief, Ft. Pierce 
September 22, 2009 
EFTA00189849

Southern District of Florida - Press Release 
Page 1 of I 
The United States Attorney's Office 
Southern District of Florida 
Press Release 
SEBASTIAN WOMAN SENTENCED ON FRAUD CHARGES 
September 21, 2004 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Jeffrey II. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Guy P. Fallen, 
Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and Arnie R. 
Tanchak, Resident Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal 
Investigative Service (DCIS), announced that defendant Penelope Sharon Jordan, 61, of 
Sebastian, FL, was sentenced today on charges of theft of government funds, in violation of 18 
U.S.C. § 641. Jordan had pled guilty to this charge on June 22, 2009. U.S. District Judge Donald 
Graham sentenced Jordan to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised 
release. In addition, the Judge ordered that Jordan repay to the Government $237,876 in 
restitution for Social Secunty payments and military pension payments she had unlawfully received 
and kept. 
According to an affidavit filed by a Sebastian Police Department detective in support of an 
application for a state court search warrant, Penelope Jordan lived in a Sebastian home owned by 
her mother. In late March 2009, the Sebastian Police Department obtained the defendant's 
consent to look inside the home, where they found the dead body of her mother in a spare 
bedroom. The defendant told Sebastian Police that her mother had been dead for at least six 
years. Evidence presented during sentencing indicated that, in December 2001, Penelope Jordan 
had told her visiting sister that their mother had already died before that earlier date. 
According to in-court statements during the plea, the defendant concealed the death of her mother 
and withheld reporting her death in order to continue receiving both her mother's Social Secunty 
survivor's benefit payments and her mother's military pension survivor's benefit payments. From 
January 2003 through March 2009, the defendant received approximately 561,415 in Social 
Security payments, plus $176,461 of military pension benefits, to which she was not entitled. 
Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of the Social Security Administration-Office of 
Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (OCIS), the efforts of City of 
Sebastian animal control and building code officers, and the Sebastian Police Department. The 
case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Cooperstein. 
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for 
the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and 
information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at 
http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. 
Technical comments about this website can be e-mailed to the Webmaster. PLEASE NOTE: The 
United States Attorney's Office does not respond to non-technical inquiries made to this website. If 
you wish to make a request for information, you may contact our office at 305-961-9001, or you 
may send a written inquiry to the United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida, 99 
NE 4th Street, Miami, Fl. 33132. 
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls/PressReleases/090921-01.html 
9/22/2009 
EFTA00189850

Sebastian woman sentenced to prison for taking dead mother's military pension checks : T... Page 1 of 2 
TC PA L M 
FLORIDA'S TREASURE COAST AND CALM BEACHES 
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1
Sebastian woman sentenced to prison for 
taking dead mother's military pension checks 
By Melissa E Hoisman 
Mancay September 21. 2009 
FORT PIERCE — A Sebastian woman who pleaded guilty to a criminal charge related 
to collecting her dead mothers federal benefits for six years was ordered Monday to 
serve one year and one day in prison. 
Penelope Jordan, 61, was arrested in late March by Sebastian police after they found 
the decaying body of her mother, Timmie Jordan, in a barricaded bedroom of their 
Wimbrow Drive home. Jordan told officials she kept the corpse there since her 
mother's death in early 2003. 
Jordan. who in June pleaded guilty to theft of public money or property. was also 
ordered by U S District Judge Donald Graham to pay $237,876 in restitution and serve 
three years of supervised release 
She had faced up to two years in prison on the charge 
The theft of public money charge refers to Jordan collecting military pension benefits 
being sent to her mother for Col. Ashford Travis -A.T.' Jordan. her mother's late 
husband after her mothers death Ashford Jordan was a World War II veteran and city 
clerk for Sebastian. records show. 
Standing before Graham on Monday dressed in a long black skirt and a print top 
covered by an oversized blue windbreaker, Jordan apologized to the court and talked 
about the financial struggles she'd been facing prior to her arrest in March.
"I was trying to .. keep a roof over my head and I take responsibility for what I did It 
was wrong," Jordan said in a low soft voice. "I've never had a whole lot but I do have 
faith in God and people. 
Added Jordan `I am asking for a second chance to do right " 
Her attorney. Assistant Federal Public Defender Panayotta Augustin-Birch, who 
characterized the unemployed Jordan as -very remorseful." recommended she be 
punished with a term of home detention, followed by supervised release.
As part of a plea bargain, federal prosecutors dropped a charge of failure to disclose 
http: \s‘sm,.tcpalm.comMews/2009/sep/21/sebastian-sebastian-womamsentenced-to-prison... 9/22/2009 
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Sebastian woman sentenced to prison for taking dead mother's military pension checks : T... Page 2 of 2 
an occurrence that would alter distribution of Social Security benefits, which could have 
added an additional five years in prison. 
In announcing Jordan's sentence. Graham noted the "conduct in this matter has some 
interesting and unusual facts surrounding the fraud that was perpetrated." 
its apparent to the court," he continued, 'that the defendant has some issues, some 
social issues in this case." 
The court. Graham said, "does not believe the public will have a problem with future 
crimes from the defendant and a variance is warranted, but not what has been 
recommended by the defense." 
An animal control complaint about stray cats led police to Jordan's home in late March, 
which is when they asked about the whereabouts of her mother. The city also cited 
Jordan for faulty wiring and large amounts of debris and animal waste at the home. 
O 2009 Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers 
http://www.tcpalm.cotn/news/2009/sep/21/sebastian-sebastian-woman-sentenced-to-prison... 9/22/2009 
EFTA00189852

Southern District of Florida - Press Release 
Page 1 of 2 
The United States Attorney's Office 
Southern District of Florida 
Press Release 
DEFENDANTS SENTENCED IN DRIVER'S LICENSE SCAM 
September 21, 2009 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Rick Walker, 
Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor 
Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and Anthony I. Mangione, Special Agent In Charge, U.S. 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations, announced that defendant 
Wesley Philamar, 36, of Miami, was sentenced on Friday, September 18, 2009 on charges of 
conspiracy to produce identification documents without lawful authority, in violation of Title 18, 
United States Code, Sections 1028(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(ii), (c)(3)(A), and (f). Philamar pled guilty to 
this charge on March 13, 2009. 
U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra sentenced Philamar to 20 months' imprisonment, to be 
followed by 2 years of supervised release. Co-defendant Yvan Bonhomme, 54, of Miramar, pled 
guilty to the same charge on April 1, 2009 and was sentenced by Judge Marra on July 31, 2009 to 
36 months' imprisonment, to be fo owed by 3 years of supervised release. A third defendant, 
Carmino Rossini Santos, Jr., 40, of Pompano Beach, also pled guilty to the same charge on 
March 13, 2009, and was sentenced by Judge Marra on May 26, 2009 to 3 months' impnsonment, 
3 months' home detention with electronic monitoring, to be followed by 2 years of supervised 
release, and a $1000 fine. 
These convictions were the result of "Operation Turn Signal." Operation Turn Signal is a Joint effort 
between the U.S. Department of Labor--Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, 
ICE's Office of Investigations, and the U.S. Attorney's Office to investigate and prosecute fraud 
related to the issuance of immigration documents and Florida driver's licenses. 
According to a factual proffer filed dunng the pleas, the defendants used five fictitious companies 
purportedly operating in South Flonda to create paperwork falsely representing that their clients 
were employees of these companies and had applied for visas. In fact, however, the clients were 
illegal aliens. Thereafter, the aliens presented the false employment documentation received from 
these companies, along with false U.S. Department of Labor certifications and U.S. work visa 
application receipts, to the Florida Division of Driver's Licenses ("DDL") to receive valid driver's 
licenses. The defendants also provided illegal aliens with false U.S. immigration forms for 
submission with their passports to the DDL. In total, the defendants caused the issuance of at 
least 500 fraudulent driver's licenses in both Broward and Palm Beach Counties. 
Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Department of Labor and ICE's Office 
of Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Katz. 
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorneys Office for 
the Southern District of Florida at http://iwriv.usdoi.gov/usao/fts. Related court documents and 
information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at 
http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. 
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls/PressReleases/090921-02.html 
9/22/2009 
EFTA00189853

Woman charged with buying Jackson Memorial patient records - 09/22/2009 - MiamiHer... Page I of I 
T(he Bliamilleralbgr, 
Posted on Tue, Sep. 22, 2009 
Woman charged with buying Jackson Memorial patient 
records 
By JAY WEAVER 
jweaver©MiamiHerald.com 
A Miami cosmetician is set to appear in federal court Wednesday on charges of buying 
confidential patient records from a Jackson Memorial Hospital employee and selling them to 
a lawyer suspected of soliciting the patients to file personal-injury claims. 
Maria Victoria Suarez was added to an indictment that charges her and husband Ruben E. 
Rodriguez with paying a JMH ultrasound technician $1,000 a month for the hospital records 
of hundreds of patients treated for slip-and-fall accidents, car crash injuries, gunshot 
wounds and stabbings, federal authorities said. 
The technician, Rebecca Garcia, a 22-year JMH veteran, has been fired and pleaded guilty 
in the conspiracy case. 
The Rodriguezes brokered the stolen records of patients' names, addresses, telephone 
numbers and medical diagnoses to the lawyer over a two-year period, according to the 
indictment. The lawyer, not identified in court papers, used the information "to improperly 
solicit JMH patients with hopes of representing them in future legal proceedings." 
In Florida, lawyers are allowed to advertise on TV and billboards and in the Yellow Pages, 
but are prohibited from soliciting clients by phone or at their home or in the hospital. 
© 2009 Miami Herald Media Company. All Rights Reserved. 
http://www.miamiherald.com 
9/22/2009 
EFTA00189854

Miami woman charged with buying Jackson Memorial patient records - South Florida Su... Page 1 of I 
sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/sfl-jackson-memorial-patient-records-bn092209,0,7145861.story 
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com 
Miami woman charged with buying Jackson Memorial patient 
records 
She is accused of selling the records to a lawyer suspected of soliciting personal-injury 
CMS 
By Jay Weaver 
The Miami Herald 
8:05 AM EDT, September 22, 2009 
MIAMI 
A Miami cosmetician is set to appear in federal court 
Wednesday on charges of buying confidential patient 
records from a Jackson Memorial Hospital employee and 
selling them to a lawyer suspected of soliciting the 
patients to file personal-injury claims. 
Maria Victoria Suarez was added to an indictment that 
charges her and husband Ruben E. Rodriguez with 
paying a Jackson Memorial ultrasound technician $1,000 
a month for the hospital records of hundreds of patients 
treated for slip-and-fall accidents, car crash injuries, 
gunshot wounds and stabbings, federal authorities said. 
The technician, Rebecca Garcia, a 22-year Jackson 
Memorial veteran, has been fired and pleaded guilty in 
the conspiracy case. 
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The Rodriguezes brokered the stolen records of patients' names, addresses, telephone numbers and 
medical diagnoses to the lawyer over a two-year period, according to the indictment. 
The lawyer, not identified in court papers, used the information "to improperly solicit JMH patients with 
hopes of representing them in future legal proceedings." 
In Florida, lawyers are allowed to advertise on TV and billboards and in the Yellow Pages, but are 
prohibited from soliciting clients by phone or at their homes or in the hospital. 
Copyright O 2009, South Florida SunfStntinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.cominews/florida/sfl-jackson-memorial-patient-records-bn092209... 9/22/2009 
EFTA00189855

Miami Medicare fraud defendant gets 8 years - 09/22/2009 - Miaminerald.com 
Page 1 of 2 
E:liciiiiamillerato 02: 
Posted on Tue, Sep. 22. 2009 
Miami Medicare fraud defendant gets 8 years 
BY JAY WEAVER 
jweaver@MiamiHerald.com 
mug 
Authorities say Alcides Garcia claimed $10.7 million in 
Medicare claims and collected 52 2 million 
other equipment.
A fugitive who claimed to be Mexican but 
was betrayed by his Cuban accent -- which 
led to his arrest in Spain -- was sentenced 
to eight years' imprisonment Monday in 
Miami federal court on U.S. Medicare fraud 
charges. 
Alcides Garcia, 44, of Pembroke Pines, 
asked the judge for "forgiveness" after his 
lawyer challenged the total amount of fraud 
-- $10.7 million in false claims, according to 
prosecutors. Garcia's Hialeah medical 
equipment business collected $2.2 million 
for supplies never provided to patients. 
U.S District Judge Marica Cooke ordered 
Garcia to pay it all back. But if he is like 
hundreds of other Medicare fraud 
prosecutions. the taxpayer-funded program 
for the elderly won't likely recover much 
money. 
Garcia, who pleaded guilty to one count of 
defrauding Medicare, listed himself and 
others as the owner of A&Y Medical Supply 
from 2002 to 2004, billing Medicare for 
power air mattresses, feeder pumps and 
"This defendant figured out it was easier to hide through other people," said Assistant U.S. 
Attorney Daniel Bernstein, adding that Garcia used a local billing firm, All-Med, headed by a 
Miami Lakes couple convicted of unrelated Medicare fraud last year. 
Garcia fled South Florida before his trial a year ago Free on $200.000 bond. he traveled to 
Mexico, then Spain. then the Canary Islands, on a false Mexican passport. Initially, the FBI 
thought he had escaped to his native Cuba. 
But Garcia made a mistake on the lam, when he went to a shipping company in the Canary 
Islands in February to have his belongings sent from Miami to the Spanish island. 
9/22/2009 
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Miami Medicare fraud defendant gets 8 years - 09/22/2009 - MiamiHerald.com 
Page 2 of 2 
The business owner grew suspicious of him because he said he was Mexican, but she 
detected his heavy Cuban accent. The accent was familiar to her because people on the 
Canary Islands are known to speak Spanish like Cubans. 
The business owner Googled Garcia's name on the Internet and up popped a Miami 
Herald/El Nuevo story published in January that described Garcia as a Cuban-born fugitive 
wanted on Medicare fraud charges in South Florida. The story, which carried a mug shot of 
Garcia, confirmed his identity. 
The owner called the FBI in Miami. Special Agent Robert Cessario notified authorities in 
Madrid. 
Garcia later checked into a hotel in the capital city, using his real name and the false 
Mexican passport. The Spanish National Police arrested him on an FBI warrant in March. 
OD 2009 Miami Herald Media Company. All Rights Reserved. 
http://www.miamiherald.com 
9/22/2009 
EFTA00189857

I 1)1 1 ORIAI Sleac. perp.,Icaner deal 
Page I of 2 
PalnitheacliPostcoin 
EDITORIAL: Sleazy perp, sleazier deal 
Palm Beach Post Editorial 
Tuesday, September 22. 2009 
eThPRINTTHIS 
On the second page of the secret deal between federal prosecutors and Jeffrey 
Epstein. we read that the agreement will serve the interests of "the United States. the 
State of Florida. and the Defendant." Wrong on the first two, right on the third. 
Until Friday, the public didn't know the terms of the deal that finalized the case of 
the Palm Beecher who arranged to have girls brought to his house for sex and 
massages. Only Epstein's platoon of lawyers, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the 
Southern District of Florida and the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office knew the details. And 
now we know why the perpetrators of this outrage didn't want the public to know. 
The deal is an indictment of a system that did much more for a criminal than 
postyor for his victims. Jeffrey Epstein - officially a registered sex offender but in 
Comments plain terms a pervert - escaped what should have been serious prison time. 
on thi5 
Instead, the federal deal allowed him to plead guilty to light charges in state 
story_below 
court. He spent just 13 months - nights only - in the Palm Beach County Jail. 
Meanwhile, the government tried to help Epstein buy off the young girls 
whom Epstein had exploited. 
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The agreement thus placed the Department of Justice in a role similar to those of the four women who 
procured girls for Epstein. If there's a precedent in this or any of the other 92 United States attorney's 
offices, we'd like to hear it. Not surprisingly, R. Alexander Acosta also agreed not to prosecute those 
women. 
Several of those girls have filed civil suits against Epstein. (Their lawyers and 
lawyers for The Post sued to make the plea deal public.) In the agreement, the 
government proposes to identify all the alleged victims and steer them to a 
lawyer, whose expenses Epstein would pay. In return, however, the victims 
would withdraw all lawsuits from state court and agree to a settlement in 
federal court of no more than $150,000 each. Even then, of course, Epstein 
would not acknowledge any "liability." 
If the outcome is frustrating, so is the lack of accountability. Mr. Acosta's name is on the deal. but he's 
now the dean of Florida International University's law school. A call to his office for comment Monday 
http://palmbeachpost.prinnhis.clickability.com/pticpt?action=cpt&titlentEDITORIALVQ3A... 9/22/2009 
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EDITORIAL: Sleazy pup, sleazier deal 
Page 2 of 2 
was not returned. The name of Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Marie Villafana is on the deal. She still works 
as a federal prosecutor in West Palm Beach, but Alicia Valle, the office's special counsel, said in an e-
mail, "We cannot comment on your questions." Didn't she really mean will not? 
This case got into the federal system because former Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter believed 
that Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer wasn't moving aggressively enough. Mr. 
Krischer retired last year. The assistant state attorney who oversaw the case is no longer with the office. 
At this point, the public must hope that the civil suits suck as much money from Epstein as possible. 
Money seems to be all that he understands. Also, Jeffrey Sloman is serving as the acting U.S. attorney 
for the Southern District of Florida until President Obama nominates a permanent replacement for 
confirmation by the Senate. It would be good to know that whoever follows Mr. Acosta is on record that 
the Jeffrey Epstein deal did not serve the interests of the United States. 
Find this article at: 
hap Mower parbeachpost cornisearchicontentropanco/epaced2C09,09/22/012ajeadedi_epstein_0922 html 
F Check the box to include the list of links referenced en the article 
http://palmbeachpost.prinnhis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cputtitle=EDITORIALV03A... 9/22/2009 
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