Public Safety

Gainesville woman convicted in $9 million Medicare fraud scheme

A Gainesville woman, Sophie Dufort, 57, was convicted by federal prosecutors in a Medicare fraud scheme totaling nearly $9 million, according to the Department of Justice. Investigators say she owned a medical equipment company that submitted fraudulent claims targeting elderly and disabled patients. Dufort, who allegedly conspired with an Ocala woman, Paula Pirone, 70, faces a potential sentence of several decades in prison, with sentencing scheduled for January.

Sources: WCJB TV20