Audiologist sentenced to prison for health care fraud

TAMPA — A federal judge in Tampa sentenced Terri Schneider, 57, of Lakeland to seven years and 10 months in prison for her role in a multimillion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme.

In December, a jury convicted Schneider and co-conspirator David Lovelace of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and aggravated identity theft, a statement says. In addition, Schneider was ordered to pay more than $2.5 million in restitution. Lovelace was sentenced earlier this month to 14 years and six months in prison.

Between June 2010 and May 2014, Schneider and co-conspirators used Cornerstone Health Specialists, Summit Health Specialists and Coastal Health Specialists to submit more than $12 million in fraudulent claims, the statement says. Medicare paid more than $2.8 million on those claims.

The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Strike Force has charged nearly 2,000 defendants who have combined to bill the Medicare program for more than $6 billion, the statement says.