Federal authorities have arrested Herbert Leon Kimble in the Philippines for allegedly masterminding a $1.2 billion Medicare fraud operation involving unnecessary orthopedic braces, marking the second capture from the FBI's new 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' list. Kimble, 60, was apprehended by Philippine Bureau of Immigration agents in Pasig City on June 11 and deported to the United States on June 18, ending a nearly two-year international manhunt.
Prosecutors said Kimble operated a healthcare fraud scheme that generated more than $1.2 billion in fraudulent Medicare charges and affected thousands of beneficiaries, many of them elderly. The operation used offshore call centers in the Philippines to steer patients toward medically unnecessary orthopedic braces, according to authorities.
A Sophisticated Call-Center Operation
According to the FBI, Kimble ran a sophisticated call-center-based operation from approximately 2014 to March 2019 that served as the marketing engine for a nationwide fraud scheme. The operation involved telemedicine providers, medical equipment suppliers and orthopedic brace distributors. Call center agents targeted Medicare beneficiaries through television and online advertisements, persuading them to request orthopedic braces for pain relief. The braces were frequently unnecessary and prescribed through telemedicine consultations that often lacked legitimate medical evaluations.
Prescriptions were then sold to durable medical equipment companies, which shipped the braces and billed Medicare for reimbursement. The invoices received from the call center disguised the fact that what was being purchased were prescriptions for orthotic braces.
Guilty Plea and Flight from Justice
On April 4, 2019, Kimble pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina to conspiracy to defraud the United States, healthcare fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, false claims, and kickback-related offenses. However, he failed to appear for his scheduled sentencing hearing on August 27, 2024, prompting a federal arrest warrant and an international manhunt.
The FBI had offered a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Kimble's last known place of residence was listed as Manila, Philippines.
Capture and Deportation
Philippine Bureau of Immigration agents, working alongside government intelligence operatives, arrested Kimble in a commercial area in Pasig City on June 11. He was deported on June 18 and has been placed on the BI blacklist, permanently barring him from re-entering the Philippines.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said: 'The Philippines will not serve as a sanctuary for fugitives seeking to evade justice in their home countries. This arrest demonstrates our commitment to working closely with international law enforcement partners to ensure that foreign nationals who pose a threat to public safety are located, arrested and removed from our communities.'
Reaction from U.S. Officials
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest on social media, writing: 'Herbert Leon Kimble was apprehended in the Philippines and is now back in the United States, on the run since 2024 after he allegedly orchestrated a $1.2 billion healthcare fraud conspiracy that targeted the Medicare system — particularly elderly victims — from 2014-2019.' Patel said the FBI remains committed to carrying out President Donald Trump's directive to crack down on fraud and protect taxpayer dollars.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also reacted to the arrest, stating: 'Fleeing the United States does not mean you can flee justice. Instead of facing accountability for his $1.2 billion Medicare fraud crimes in the United States, Kimble fled to the Philippines hoping to escape justice. That plan failed.'
Vice President JD Vance, who leads the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, credited the creation of the Most Wanted Fraudsters list with helping investigators track down Kimble. 'Our message is simple,' Vance wrote. 'If you defraud the American people, we will find you and we will bring you to justice.'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Cases in U.S. History
The case against Kimble is among the largest healthcare fraud prosecutions in U.S. history. The scheme targeted Medicare beneficiaries across the United States, many of them elderly, and resulted in more than $1.2 billion in fraudulent charges.
The arrest comes just weeks after the Justice Department unveiled its new 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' list, which is intended to publicly identify individuals charged in major fraud cases. Kimble was the second person on the list to be taken into custody. The FBI has arrested two of the eight individuals on its Most Wanted Fraudsters list since launching its nationwide manhunt.
