Man pleads guilty to penis pump Medicare scam

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57327372-504083/gary-winner-pleads-guilty-to-penis-pump-medicare-scam/

November 18, 2011 9:28 AM

(CBS/AP) PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Meet Gary Winner.

He had this great idea which involved purchasing $26 penis enlargers from an adult website, repackaging them and shipping them to patients with information claiming the so-called "erectile pumps" helped "bladder control, urinary flow and prostate comfort."

But the plan went limp.

The Illinois man pleaded guilty in Rhode Island on Thursday to charges he shipped unwanted penis enlargers to diabetes patients as part of a Medicare fraud scheme that cost $1 million to $2.5 million from 2005 to 2009. snip

Prosecutors say Winner targeted Medicare beneficiaries through his medical equipment company, Planned Eldercare, based in Buffalo Grove, Ill., and persuaded patients to provide their Medicare information by offering free medical equipment and supplies.

[Ian David]

1. Another government assault on Alternative Medicine! OMG!

:sarcasm:

[gratuitous]

2. Government regulation stymies another businessman

I was going to say another "small" businessman, but that was clearly not Gary Winner's business model.

[VWolf]

3. I guess he wasn't aware of the penal codes. n/t

[Bonhomme Richard]

4. Another swollen ego. n/t

[Scuba]

5. Know what's really weird? Republicans think this guy is over-regulated. n/t

[customerserviceguy]

9. Overstimulated is more like it. n/t

[bmbmd]

6. A couple of years ago,

one of the local DME companies sent me an order to sign for a pump device for one of my elderly diabetic patients. Seems that because Johnnie was diabetic, Johnnie was automatically entitled to a pump. I reminded them that Johnnie was, in fact, a she, and would have no need of a pump. That particular company is no longer in business.

[yellowcanine]

7. I am sorry but the whole concept of "penis pump" is just wrong.

[customerserviceguy]

8. The case was heard in small claims court

Almost thrown out for insufficient evidence.

[jberryhill]

10. "he shipped unwanted penis enlargers"

Why would anyone enlarge an unwanted penis?

[Fire Walk With Me]

11. I'll take "Threads I know better than to click on but still can't resist" for $1,000, Alex.