Prolific Fraudster Pleads Guilty
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Puerto Rico:
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On January 27, 2022, Defendant Ramón Julbe-Rosa plead guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López to 12 counts including theft of government property, and introducing unapproved new drugs into the United States, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Ramón Julbe-Rosa plead guilty to defrauding the Social Security Administration and Medicare by receiving Social Security Disability Insurance Benefit payments while working.
Defendant Julbe-Rosa also plead guilty to one count of fraud against the Department of Veterans Affairs for fraudulently receiving unemployability benefits, and one count of Fraud in Connection with Major Disaster or Emergency Benefits related to Hurricane María. Julbe-Rosa applied for an SBA Disaster Loan by falsely representing that on September 20, 2017, his primary residence, damaged by Hurricane Maria was located in Morovis, Puerto Rico when he well knew that this was not his primary residence. As a result, the defendant fraudulently received $50,000.00 from SBA.
In addition, Julbe-Rosa plead guilty to Introducing into Interstate Commerce Unapproved New Drugs. Defendant Julbe-Rosa established and operated the website www.aceitedeguanabana.com through which he promoted and sold various products intended as treatments for serious medical conditions without FDA approval. Defendant Julbe-Rosa sold at least $341,242.26 worth of unapproved new drugs.
Julbe-Rosa will make restitution as follows: $57,552.00 for the Social Security Administration; $118,943.94 for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; $47,002.10 for the Medicare Program and $47,443.94 for the Small Business Administration; for a total restitution amount of $270,941.98.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Federal Law Enforcement partners remain vigilant in our quest to identify those corrupt individuals who by deceit and fraud attempt to illegally benefit from federal funds depriving other law-abiding citizens from much needed health benefits, disability and emergency assistance. We remain steadfast in our commitment to bring to justice unscrupulous individuals who illegally seek personal financial gain,” said United States Attorney Muldrow.
“This individual engaged in fraudulent and profitable work activity while wrongfully receiving Social Security disability benefits. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that my office will continue to hold accountable those who defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA),” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for SSA. “I thank our law enforcement partners for their investigative work. Also, I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Bonano for prosecuting this case.”
“The FDA’s drug approval process ensures that patients receive safe and effective products. Evading the FDA’s authority and selling unapproved drugs to vulnerable consumers will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “The FDA remains fully committed to aggressively pursuing those who place profits above the health and safety of American consumers.”
“This defendant’s greedy conduct led him to defraud multiple federal agencies including VA where he stole benefits meant to help veterans who become unemployable due to their service-connected disabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, is dedicated to ensuring the integrity of VA’s benefits programs and services.”
“OIG remains committed to safeguarding SBA programs designed to provide vital funds to disaster victims,” said SBA OIG’s Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
Ramón Julbe-Rosa faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) with the collaboration of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA); Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG); Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General (VA-OIG); and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa D. Bonano from the Social Security Administration is prosecuting the case.