Dulce Briceno

A Miami woman was sentenced to a little more than five years in prison for her role in a $2.3 million Medicare fraud scheme.

In addition a judge ordered Dulce Briceño to pay $1.8 million in restitution.

She was among more than 50 medical providers, including two physicians, indicted in Detroit last year for allegedly defrauding the federal government out of about $50 million.

Briceno admitted in her plea agreement that she managed the day-to-day operations of X-PRESS CENTER, during which time the clinic billed Medicare for services that were either not medically necessary or never provided.

Briceno admitted that patients were not referred by physicians, but recruited and paid kickbacks to sign papers saying they received the services.

The clinic billed Medicare $2.3 million, of which $1.8 million was paid.