Doctor Edgard Salazar Indicted for Alleged Medicare Fraud Scheme

A New York physician faces federal charges for allegedly participating in a massive Medicare fraud scheme involving millions of dollars in unnecessary medical equipment and fake consultations.

Dr. Edgard Salazar, 57, of Armonk, New York, was charged by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida on Tuesday, according to the Department of Justice. The indictment alleges that Salazar conspired to bill Medicare for thousands of consultations that never actually occurred and millions of dollars in orthotic braces that patients neither wanted nor needed.

This case increases the federal government's crackdown on telemedicine-based fraud. The Department of Justice’s recent announcement of the creation of the Fraud Division on April 7 highlights a growing institutional focus on these specific types of white-collar crimes. By targeting the intersection of digital healthcare and federal benefits, investigators are attempting to close loopholes that allow bad actors to exploit vulnerable populations through remote prescribing.

The alleged scheme relied on the infrastructure of TelevisitMD, a telemedicine company owned and operated by Christopher Harwood. According to court documents, the company allegedly allowed Salazar to sign pre-filled prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries. These prescriptions were for orthotic braces that the patients did not require for their medical conditions.

The mechanics of the TelevisitMD scheme

The indictment paints a picture of a medical practice stripped of its clinical necessity. Investigators allege that Salazar did not examine or treat the beneficiaries in question. In many instances, he reportedly did not speak to the patients at all.

Even when communication did occur, the alleged fraud continued despite patient pushback. Court documents state that when Salazar did speak to beneficiaries, they told him they did not want or need the orthotic braces, yet he allegedly signed the prescriptions anyway. This pattern of behavior contributed to what prosecutors describe as over $6.8 million in false and fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare.

Salazar now faces a similar legal reckoning. He is charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and five counts of health care fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count.

Federal enforcement and the scale of healthcare fraud

The prosecution of Salazar is part of a broader, aggressive strategy by federal agencies to protect the integrity of the Medicare system. The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program has been a primary engine in this effort.

Since its inception in 2007, the program—which currently includes nine strike forces across the country—has charged more than 6,200 defendants. These individuals and entities have collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion.

The investigation into Salazar was a multi-agency effort involving the FBI Miami Field Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). This coordination is central to the current administration’s approach to fiscal oversight.

The Department of Justice’s work to combat fraud is intended to support the task force to eliminate fraud, a whole-of-government initiative chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance aimed at reducing waste and abuse within federal benefit programs.

Entity/Person	Role/Status	Key Figure/Penalty
Dr. Edgard Salazar	Indicted Defendant	Up to 10 years per count
Christopher Harwood	Sentenced (TelevisitMD)	20 years in prison
TelevisitMD Restitution	Financial Penalty	$17.9 million
Total Alleged Fraud	Salazar’s Claims	Over $6.8 million

The $6.8 million in alleged fraudulent claims is part of a larger systemic issue. The fraud involves not just the theft of taxpayer funds, but the potential compromise of medical records and the unnecessary distribution of medical devices to seniors who may not need them.

Critics of the heavy-handed approach to telemedicine regulation argue that aggressive investigations can sometimes create a chilling effect on legitimate digital health providers. They suggest that over-regulation might limit access to care for rural or mobility-impaired patients who rely on remote consultations.

However, federal prosecutors maintain that the distinction between legitimate telemedicine and “pill mill” style digital fraud is clear, especially when consultations are bypassed entirely in favor of pre-filled prescriptions.

The Department of Justice continues to emphasize that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The prosecution of Salazar is being handled by Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section.