HealthSplash CEO Convicted In $1 Billion Medicare Kickback And Fraud Scheme
On Thursday, May 14, 2026, a federal jury convicted HealthSplash CEO Brett Blackman of leading a $1 billion Medicare kickback and fraud scheme, and he now faces decades in prison.[1]
Prosecutors said Blackman and co-conspirators billed Medicare and other federal programs for more than $1 billion and were paid over $450 million.[1] The scheme used the DMERx platform to produce false doctors' orders and to pay illegal kickbacks to telemedicine doctors and pharmacies.[1] An undercover Medicare agent was routed to an overseas call center and falsely recorded as having undergone tests by a doctor the agent never met.[1]
Gary Cox, former CEO of DMERx, was convicted in June 2025 and later sentenced to 15 years as part of the same network of companies.[1] Prosecutors say the platform let remote doctors sign off on tests and prescriptions without real examinations, generating the fraudulent claims that were billed to Medicare.[1]
Blackman's sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2026; he faces up to 20 years on health care and wire fraud conspiracy counts plus five years on other counts.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, May 14, 2026, a federal jury convicted HealthSplash CEO Brett Blackman in a large Medicare fraud case.
- DOJ says Blackman and co-conspirators billed Medicare and other federal programs over $1 billion and were paid more than $450 million.
- The scheme used the DMERx platform to generate false doctors' orders and pay illegal kickbacks to telemedicine doctors and pharmacies.
- An undercover Medicare agent was routed to an overseas call center and falsely recorded as having undergone tests by a doctor they never met.
- Blackman faces up to 20 years on health care and wire fraud conspiracy counts plus 5 years on other counts, with sentencing set for August 26, 2026.
- Co-defendant Gary Cox, former CEO of DMERx, was convicted in June 2025 and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
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