A Frisco, Texas counselor was convicted of billing the military’s health plan about $26 million for brain-stimulation treatments that patients did not need or never got, while posing as a medical doctor.
Story Snapshot
- A federal jury in Fort Worth found Kevin D. Curry guilty on Thursday, September 24.
- He was convicted on nine felony counts tied to a TRICARE fraud scheme.
- Prosecutors said his clinics billed about $26 million, and TRICARE paid about $17 million.
- He paid more than $5.5 million in kickbacks to servicemembers, veterans and their families to sign up for treatments.
- He falsely claimed to be a medical doctor and used real doctors’ credentials without their knowledge or consent.
Jury Verdict and Core Findings
A federal jury in Fort Worth convicted Kevin D. Curry, 64, a licensed professional counselor from Frisco, Texas. The jury found him guilty on three counts of health care fraud, three counts of paying illegal health care kickbacks and three counts of money transactions in criminally derived property. Prosecutors said Curry used his clinics to bill the military’s TRICARE program for transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, therapy that was not medically needed or was never given.
The Justice Department said Curry’s clinics sent TRICARE about $26 million in false claims, and TRICARE paid about $17 million on them. A top Justice Department official said the verdict “makes clear that those who try to defraud the United States will be met with swift and decisive justice.” Curry will be sentenced at a later date. He faces up to 10 years in prison on each count.
Texas Counselor Convicted in $26M TRICARE Fraud Scheme Involving Fake Treatments https://t.co/wKjF9C93Lf Court documents and evidence presented at trial say that Kevin D. Curry, 64, of Frisco, Texas, orchestrated a scheme to bill TRICARE for transcranial magnetic stimulation…
— pat (@patgill69033215) September 27, 2026
How the Scheme Worked, According to Prosecutors
Curry ran three clinics: Acuity TMS of Plano and Acuity TMS of Fort Worth in Texas, and Emerald Coast TMS of Fort Walton Beach in Florida. Prosecutors said he targeted active-duty servicemembers, veterans and their families. He paid more than $5.5 million in kickbacks to get them to agree to treatments they did not need or never received.
Prosecutors said Curry also posed as a medical doctor. He used real doctors’ credentials to bill TRICARE without their knowledge or consent. He told employees to fabricate medical records to back up the bills. The U.S. Attorney said Curry “fabricated medical records, stole doctors’ identities and clogged the system with fraudulent claims.”
The money went to personal luxuries. Prosecutors said Curry spent it on hotels, a lavish casino-themed party and a gold-plated Tesla Cybertruck worth more than $100,000.
Why This Case Hits Nerves Across the Aisle
TRICARE serves people who wear the uniform and their families. Fraud against that program feels like theft from service households and taxpayers at the same time. Conservatives see another example of waste and abuse in a health system that is too easy to game. Liberals see a profit-first model that turns patients into billing units. Both sides see a system that lets insiders exploit complex rules while ordinary families fight for fair care and honest bills.
Cases like this follow a known playbook. They target treatments that are hard to check from the outside. They use kickbacks to pump up volume. They fill in charts after the fact to make the claims look medically sound. When the money flows fast, bad actors can drain public funds meant to heal, not hustle.
Accountability, Deterrence, and Next Steps
Health care fraud cases take time to build. Prosecutors rely on claims data, bank records and insider testimony. Here, the jury’s verdict shows the government proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The conduct was tied to specific clinics in Texas and Florida. Curry now faces sentencing, where the court will weigh the loss amount and the kickback conduct under federal law.
Policy makers often promise tighter oversight after cases like this. Real fixes are harder. Strong audits can catch patterns sooner, but they also risk flagging honest providers and delaying care. Clearer rules on marketing, medical need and paperwork can help honest clinics follow the law. What matters most is steady enforcement that protects troops and families while keeping access to real care open and fast.
What Patients and Families Can Do
Patients can ask simple questions before treatment starts. Who ordered this care? Why is it needed now? How many sessions are standard? What is my out-of-pocket cost? If the answers feel slippery, slow down. If someone offers cash, gifts or perks tied to a medical service, that can be illegal. TRICARE offers ways to report suspected fraud. Use them if a bill looks wrong or a clinic will not explain it clearly.
Sources:
townhall.com, justice.gov, tradersunion.com
