A Cape Cod man has admitted his role in moving money that prosecutors say came from a large Medicare fraud scheme. The U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 13, 2026, that Leo Anzivino Jr., 35, of Falmouth, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder proceeds from a scheme involving more than $6 million in Medicare fraud. This Medicare fraud money laundering guilty plea is a useful case study in how public healthcare dollars can be diverted and then disguised through ordinary financial transactions.
Key facts
- The U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 13, 2026, that Leo Anzivino Jr., 35, of Falmouth, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder proceeds of a Medicare fraud scheme.
- According to the Justice Department, the underlying Medicare fraud scheme involved more than $6 million.
- Prosecutors say the money originated from fraudulent Medicare claims and that Anzivino took part in laundering the proceeds.
- The Justice Department announcement was updated on October 14, 2026, and the plea is to a money laundering conspiracy count, not a finding about every dollar in the scheme.
What happened in the Medicare fraud money laundering guilty plea
According to the Justice Department, Anzivino pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money that came from fraudulent Medicare claims. The announcement was published through the U.S. Attorney's Office page for New Hampshire and later updated on October 14. You can read the original statement in the Justice Department press release.
A guilty plea means the defendant has formally admitted the offense in court. That makes this different from a case where someone has only been accused or indicted. Here, the conduct covered by the plea is a conspiracy to launder proceeds, according to prosecutors.
Who is Leo Anzivino Jr.?
Anzivino is 35 and lives in Falmouth, a town on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, according to the Justice Department. He is not a public figure, and the research available for this report does not describe a wider public profile. The story matters because of the type of crime and the size of the underlying scheme, not because of who he is.
Details beyond the announcement, such as the exact roles of any co-conspirators, were not part of the material reviewed for this article. Readers who want the full set of allegations should consult the official release and any court records that become available.
What the $6 million figure actually means
The most important point in this story is easy to miss. The $6 million figure describes the Medicare fraud scheme that generated the money. It does not necessarily describe the amount Anzivino personally received, handled, or laundered.
That distinction matters for accuracy. His plea is to money laundering conspiracy, which is a separate offense from submitting false healthcare claims. Prosecutors link the two because laundering is the step that moves and hides the money after the fraud produces it.
Fraud scheme versus laundering conspiracy
- Healthcare fraud: submitting false or inflated claims to Medicare to get payments that are not owed.
- Money laundering conspiracy: agreeing with others to move or disguise the money so its source is harder to trace.
A person can be involved in one part of a scheme without being accused of every part. Reporting that merges the two can mislead readers, so it helps to keep them apart.
How Medicare fraud proceeds can be laundered
The Justice Department release describes the funds as coming from fraudulent Medicare claims. Cases like this generally follow a simple money trail, even when the paperwork is complicated. The outline below is a general explanation of how healthcare fraud laundering works, not a description of specific transactions in this case.
- False claims are submitted. Medicare is billed for services or items that were not provided, were not needed, or were misrepresented.
- Payments arrive. Public healthcare money is paid out to accounts controlled by the people behind the claims.
- The money moves. Funds are transferred, withdrawn, or spent in ways that separate them from the original Medicare payments.
- The source is disguised. The goal is to make the money look like it came from a legitimate business or personal activity.
Federal law treats step three and step four as crimes in their own right. Prosecutors can charge laundering even when the person did not file the false claims themselves, if they knowingly helped move the proceeds.
Guilty plea versus an unproven charge
Readers often see headlines about "charges" and assume the person has been convicted. That is not the case in most early-stage announcements. In an indictment, the allegations are unproven until a plea or a verdict.
This case is further along. Anzivino has pleaded guilty, according to the Justice Department. Sentencing is a separate stage, and the sentence has not been addressed in the research used for this article. For comparison, our coverage of the Kerr Kriisa wire fraud guilty plea shows how a plea moves a case toward sentencing, and the report on a former CIA official who pleaded guilty follows a similar path.
Why Medicare fraud matters to taxpayers
Medicare is funded with public money, and the program pays out enormous volumes of claims. When false claims succeed, the loss falls on the program and, ultimately, on the people who fund and rely on it. Money laundering makes recovery harder because the funds are scattered and disguised.
The Justice Department tracks these prosecutions on its fraud enforcement news page, which lists recent cases involving healthcare programs and other federal funds. Similar problems appear in other government programs too. Our report on ghost students and federal aid fraud shows how public money can be targeted through false records.
Warning signs of Medicare fraud
- Medicare summary notices that list services or equipment you never received.
- Calls or messages asking for your Medicare number in exchange for free tests or supplies.
- Providers who offer gifts or cash in return for your Medicare information.
- Billing for visits or items that do not match your own records.
How to report suspected Medicare fraud
If you spot errors or suspicious activity, act quickly. Keep your own records of appointments and equipment so you can compare them with Medicare statements. Never share your Medicare number with unsolicited callers.
- Report scams and suspicious contacts to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- Report internet-enabled fraud to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
- Call the number on the back of your Medicare card or on your Medicare statement to flag billing errors.
What happens next in the case
With a guilty plea entered, the next step is typically sentencing. A judge will decide the penalty after reviewing the facts of the offense and the defendant's role. The Justice Department release is the best place to watch for updates, since the announcement has already been revised once, on October 14.
Because the $6 million figure refers to the broader scheme, any sentence or restitution order may turn on what the court finds about Anzivino's own conduct. We will not speculate on the outcome. Readers should rely on court filings and official statements as they appear.
The bottom line on this Medicare fraud money laundering guilty plea
This case is a clear reminder that healthcare fraud does not end when a false claim is paid. The money has to go somewhere, and people who help move it can face federal charges of their own. According to prosecutors, Anzivino was part of that second stage.
Check your Medicare statements regularly, protect your Medicare number, and report anything that looks wrong. If you want more breakdowns of fraud cases and scams, keep following Blacklist for verified reporting and practical steps you can take today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Leo Anzivino Jr.?
Leo Anzivino Jr. is a 35-year-old man from Falmouth, Massachusetts. The U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 13, 2026, that he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder proceeds from a Medicare fraud scheme. He is not a public figure.
What did Leo Anzivino Jr. plead guilty to?
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors say the money came from fraudulent Medicare claims. The plea concerns the laundering conspiracy, not the filing of the false claims themselves.
Did Anzivino launder $6 million?
Not necessarily. The more than $6 million figure describes the overall Medicare fraud scheme, according to the Justice Department. It does not establish how much Anzivino personally received or laundered.
What is money laundering in a Medicare fraud case?
Money laundering means moving or disguising money so its illegal source is harder to trace. In a Medicare fraud case, it involves handling payments that came from false claims. A person can be charged with conspiracy to launder even if someone else submitted the claims.
How do I report suspected Medicare fraud?
You can report scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and internet-enabled fraud to the FBI at ic3.gov. You can also call the number on your Medicare card or statement to flag billing errors. Keep copies of your records to support your report.
