A bond hearing is set for Nov. 18 for the former mayor of Rio Bravo who was found guilty Wednesday of participating in a $150 million health care fraud scheme.
Laredoan Franciso Peña, 82, Merida Group director, former Laredo Medical Center chief of staff and licensed physician, was found guilty of several fraudulent offenses. They include defrauding patients in connection to medical claims, money laundering, obstructing an FBI investigation, submitting false statements to the FBI and conspiring to pay and receive kickbacks.
Peña – along with Rodney Mesquias of San Antonio, 47, and Henry McInnis of Harlingen, 47 – headed the company and falsely told patients they had six months to live due to terminal illness to make them use their services.
Peña is on an appearance bond of $250,000 with a $25,000 cash deposit. Mesquias is held on an unsecured $250,000 bond, while McInnis is held on a $100,000 unsecured bond, according to the court docket.