American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals Season 11 Episode 11 From Peanuts to Sick Millions
- July 3, 2017
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In this episode of American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals, viewers are taken on a journey through the rise and fall of a con artist named Randall Keith Beane. Beane, who began his career selling peanuts at sporting events, eventually found himself at the center of a massive healthcare fraud scheme that earned him millions of dollars and landed him in federal prison.
The episode begins by introducing viewers to Beane and his early years as a salesman. Through interviews with former colleagues and friends, we get a glimpse into his charming personality and smooth-talking ways. However, as the episode progresses, we learn that Beane's charisma was just a facade for his true intentions.
Beane's rise to wealth and power began when he realized that he could make a lot of money by purchasing and selling durable medical equipment (DME) to Medicare patients. He enlisted the help of a doctor named John Love, who would write bogus prescriptions for medical equipment that patients didn't need. Beane would then purchase the equipment from suppliers and bill Medicare for the maximum amount allowed. He would even go as far as setting up phony medical clinics and hiring recruiters to find patients who were willing to participate in the scheme.
As the fraud continued to grow, Beane began to live a lavish lifestyle, buying expensive cars and vacation homes, while throwing extravagant parties and buying his friends expensive gifts. However, his success was short-lived as the FBI began to investigate him and Love. Eventually, the two were arrested, and Beane was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for healthcare fraud and money laundering.
Throughout the episode, viewers hear from law enforcement officials, former colleagues, and even Beane himself, who maintains his innocence despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. We also learn about the devastating impact that the fraud had on patients who were given equipment they didn't need and the taxpayers who footed the bill for the fraudulent claims.
Overall, this episode of American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals is a fascinating look into the world of healthcare fraud and the lengths that some people will go to in order to make a quick buck. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and the importance of holding those who commit fraud accountable for their actions.