SUMMARY
- A 56-year-old man named Mathew James from East Northport has been sentenced to a 12-year federal prison term for orchestrating a $600 million medical insurance fraud scheme.
- Mathew James impersonated several individuals, including Marcus Smart and Jeff Pash, to demand payments from insurance companies.
A 56-year-old man from East Northport has been sentenced to a 12-year term in federal prison for a $600 million medical insurance fraud scheme. This sentencing follows a jury’s conviction on charges of identity theft, wire fraud, and health care fraud. The man in question impersonated NBA point guard Marcus Smart, an NFL executive, and others to do his fraud.
The impersonator’s name is Mathew James, during the sentencing hearing, it was revealed that the judge had initially considered a 10-year sentence but decided to increase it to two more years after prosecutors told her that James could be eligible for early release for good behavior.
REPORT: A man impersonated Marcus Smart and a NFL executive in order to perpetrate a $600M medical insurance fraud scheme, per @Newsday.
He was recently sentenced to 12 years in prison. pic.twitter.com/3ixQfNk99h
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 4, 2024
Despite the possibility of a 25-year sentence, factors such as James’ clean criminal record and strong community support impacted the final decision. The scheme involved impersonating thousands and demanding insurance companies to pay for treatments that were never provided.
Marcus Smart impersonator nets $63 Million from fraudulent schemes
Marcus Smart gets a big welcome back at TD Garden
Former Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who spent nine seasons with the team, returned to TD Garden on Sunday night for the first time since being traded this past offseason to the Memphis Grizzlies and as expected he received a huge welcome from Celtics fans. During his visit, Smart was given a “Heroes Among Us” award.
Marcus Smart was recognized as tonight’s Hero Among Us for his constant dedication to helping others 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/JBDlWRcNdV
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) February 5, 2024
This award was given to Smart for the off-court contributions he made in Boston. It also shows the respect and love the Celtics organization and its fans continue to have for him, despite his trade to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The tribute from Celtics fans shows Smart’s important role in the Celtics’ history. The relationships he built over time in Boston were clearly visible during the visit.