DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. – Duval County CFO announced the arrests of two Jacksonville women who submitted at least 42 fraudulent insurance claims, resulting in a total collection of $1.14 million.

Employees of the health care company Aetna allegedly submitted false insurance claims and uploaded false documents to support their claims. The scheme took place from 2019-2023 and resulted in one employee receiving more than $408,000 and one employee receiving more than $736,000 from their false statements, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) and the Division of Criminal Investigations (CID).

The release said both women became familiar with processing claims for hospital, accident and critical voluntary supplement plans where they uploaded false medical bills and explanations of benefits for procedures that never took place and patients never received treatment.

“It’s amazing how far bad actors will go to commit fraud and cheat the system to make a quick buck,” Patronis said. “Congratulations to my insurance fraud detectives for arresting these fraudsters and putting them behind bars where they belong. Insurance fraud is driving up rates for hard-working Floridians, and as long as I am CFO, we will continue to reduce fraud and hold criminals accountable. If you or someone you know suspects fraud, please report it immediately to FraudFreeFlorida.com.”

Patronus announced both the individuals were charged with one count of false insurance claims and one count of scheme to defraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum of 30 years.