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AUSTIN – Christian Agno Aquino, 42, of Humble, was arrested for his role in a $6.9 million Medicaid fraud and kickback scheme, alongside Rene Gaviola, 67, and Ifeanyi Ndubisi Ozoh, 51, of Houston, who were previously arrested. The defendants are charged with defrauding the Medicaid program through illicit practices committed through the Floss Family Dental Care clinic in Houston.
According to the indictment, Gaviola, the operator of Floss Family Dental Care, together with his managers Ozoh and Aquino, submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for pediatric dental services that were not provided or were in some cases performed by unlicensed individuals. The defendants are also accused of offering illegal kickbacks to marketers and caregivers of Medicaid- insured children, enticing them to bring the children to Floss for fraudulent dental services.
The indictment also details how Gaviola laundered Medicaid funds, transferring them from the Floss business bank account to his personal account in transactions exceeding $100,000. From 2019 to 2021, the dental clinic fraudulently billed Medicaid approximately $6.9 million.
