TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA)— A final person has been arrested in a scheme that defrauded the Florida Medicaid program of more than $5 million, Attorney General James Uthmeier said.

AG’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit arrested and charged the final member, Joseph Chacon. Chacon was arrested on an outstanding warrant at Orlando International Airport on April 23, 2025.

According to MFCU, an investigation revealed that the fraud scheme was led by Jose Enrique Hernandez Fernandez, and the defendants operated a nonemergency medical transportation service that billed Medicaid for thousands of trips that were never taken.

“This scheme defrauded Florida’s taxpayers and diverted resources meant for patients in need,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “With the arrest of the final defendant, justice is catching up to every individual who thought they could exploit the Medicaid system. Under my leadership, we will not tolerate fraud, waste, or abuse and will relentlessly pursue those who try to profit at the expense of the people of Florida.”

Hernandez Fernandez owned Sweet Transportation, LLC, a company that was contracted to provide nonemergency medical transportation to Medicaid recipients, the office of the Attorney General said.

Over at least two years, Hernandez Fernandez and his employers billed for nonexistent trips and inflated mileage on actual trips.

According to the office of the Attorney General, GPS data showed that drivers would submit claims while at home, on vacation, or out of the state.

Chacon is a dual citizen of the United States and Costa Rica, and was in Costa Rica at the time the warrants were issued for all suspects involved in the scheme.

MFCU worked with ICE and the FBI, but Costa Rican officials declined to extradite Chacon, the office of the Attorney General said.

Twenty co-defendants were arrested in October 2023.

Chacon is being held in the Orange County Jail and faces a felony charge of organized scheme to defraud.