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Keith J. Gray, a former UConn football player and Texas laboratory owner, was convicted Thursday for his role in a massive genetic testing fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced Friday.
According to investigators, the cardiovascular testing program generated up to $328 million in fraudulent claims. Gray, who has never appeared in an NFL regular-season game, owns Axis Professional Labs and Kingdom Health Laboratory.
He was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and paying and receiving health care kickbacks, five counts of violating the anti-kickback statute. Gray also faces three counts of money laundering, a DOJ press release confirmed.
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Keith J. Gray, a Texas laboratory owner and former NFL player, was convicted of conspiring to defraud the United States and paying and receiving health care kickbacks. Gray faces five counts of violating the anti-kickback law and three counts of money laundering. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Prosecutors said Gray knowingly billed Medicare for “medically unnecessary genetic tests designed to assess risk for various cardiovascular diseases and conditions.” According to officials, Gray provided bribes in exchange for DNA sample returns and carried out testing orders authorizing the procedures.
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Marketers sought out Medicare beneficiaries and conducted a “doctor hunt” to discover the identities of beneficiaries’ primary care physicians. Prosecutors said that once an individual’s identity was obtained, it was believed the doctor was pressured to approve the tests.
Fabricated documents and invoices were used in an attempt to conceal payments showing charges for “marketing” hours. Another aspect of the operation involved Gray allegedly misrepresenting the expense payments as “software” or labeling them as nonexistent loans.
Keith Gray of the Carolina Panthers poses for his 2009 NFL photo during photo day in Charlotte, North Carolina. (NFL Photos)
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence including text messages between Gray and a co-conspirator. The messages appeared to be enthusiastic exchanges between the two men about anticipation of the money they were making through Medicare.
“$ent, you should get it any minute if you haven’t already. Got it?” Gray then responded by saying, “Sorry, I was filling my bathtub with it. Yes lol.”
Keith J. Gray, a Texas laboratory owner and former NFL player, was convicted of conspiring to defraud the United States and paying and receiving health care kickbacks. Gray faces up to 10 years in prison on each charge.
Axis and Kingdom billed Medicare approximately $328 million for false claims, while Medicare paid claims totaling approximately $54 million. A sentencing date for Gray was not immediately announced. He faces up to 10 years in prison on each charge.
Gray was a key contributor for the Huskies, starting every game in 2007. He signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent after college.
