Ten Florida medical clinic owners on Tuesday were indicted for allegedly defrauding Medicare by improperly billing the program for HIV/AIDS treatments and medical equipment, the AP/Gainesville Sun reports (AP/Gainesville Sun, 4/3). According to a report conducted by Gov. Charlie Crist's (R) office, Florida has far fewer HIV/AIDS cases than California or New York, but HIV/AIDS providers in the state submitted three times as many claims as providers in California and five times as many claims as providers in New York (Dorschner, Miami Herald, 4/4). U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida R. Alexander Acosta in a statement said that the 10 clinic owners are charged in connection with defrauding Medicare through HIV/AIDS clinics and durable medical equipment companies that operated in Miami from 2004 through 2005. According to authorities, the defendants submitted more than $12.5 million in false and fraudulent claims for HIV/AIDS treatment and medical equipment, the AP/Sun reports (AP/Gainesville Sun, 4/3). The alleged leaders of the group, Armando Arias and Raul Rodriquez, are accused of committing fraud through Coral Way Professional Services and other companies in Miami-Dade County. They also are accused of laundering money and attempting to bribe witnesses to lie to authorities about their actions, the Herald reports (Miami Herald, 4/4).