A Montgomery County man is facing federal charges in connection with an alleged COVID-19 healthcare fraud scheme that prosecutors say generated more than 50 million dollars in insurance payments through fraudulent claims.
Fifty-seven-year-old Marc Potash of Rockville was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, and conducting transactions involving criminally derived proceeds.
According to the indictment, between January 2022 and May 2026, Potash allegedly conspired with others to enrich himself and increase the profits of Tiero, L-L-C, a company based in Gaithersburg. Potash founded the company and served as its chief executive officer.
Prosecutors allege the company submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and other insurance providers for at-home COVID-19 tests.
The indictment alleges Potash and his co-conspirators submitted false emails, letters, and other paperwork to the Maryland Department of Health to obtain a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certification for Tiero. Investigators say the documents falsely represented that medical providers were conducting COVID-19 testing at the company’s laboratory.
Authorities allege the company then used that certification to submit insurance claims containing false service dates, a fictitious testing location, and a provider who did not actually perform the services.
In reality, prosecutors say, the company was simply shipping over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits to people across the country for self-administration.
According to the indictment, the alleged scheme resulted in more than 100 million dollars in fraudulent healthcare claims and more than 50 million dollars in insurance payments to Tiero.
The indictment also alleges Potash used criminally derived proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles, including a Range Rover and a Mercedes-Benz, as well as a four-million-dollar property in Beallsville, Maryland. Prosecutors also cite two security transfers valued at more than four million dollars and eight million dollars, respectively.
The case is part of the Trump administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
If convicted, Potash faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The charges remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
]By: Dianah Gibson
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