According to investigators, Julian Vence Kimble, who operatedtwo private ambulance companies—Monarch Ambulance and PearlAmbulance—tookMedicare for a ride, collecting payment for health carebenefits, namely basic life support ambulance transports. Then, heallegedly tried to hide or launder the proceeds infinancial transactions.

At the end of a trail of failed business deals, theself-described 'millionaire' now finds himself charged withdefrauding Medicare of at least $4.6 million, conspiracy to commitmoney laundering, and tax evasion.

Kimble, also a Houston nightclub investor, pleaded not guiltyduring his first court appearance Nov. 2. A $30,000 bail has beenset.

The federal criminal charges against the 46-year-old, however,are just the latest in a series of legal woes. On Oct. 14, theformer owner of Monarch, Wanda Washington, won a $91,000 courtsettlement from Kimble and his father-in-law for failing to pay$180,000 owed for purchasing the company in 2008.

Just a day before this settlement was awarded, Kimble facedanother lawsuit that revealed a year of problems arising fromKimble's agreement to become the majority investor in the GroovesRestaurant. At the time federal agents were investigating Kimblefor fraud, he was considering investing in a nightclub operationthat became Grooves Restaurant, a popular local nightspot.

The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 15 by Kerry Carter and LatoniaJackson says Kimble's promised investment in the nightclubevaporated about the time federal marshals showed up, announcingthe club could be subject to seizure because of his allegedMedicare fraud schemes. While the club was being renovated,Kimble was “arrested by the United States Federal Marshal forMedicare/Medicare Fraud of over twenty million dollars,” Carter'slawsuit states.

The lawsuit claims that Kimble agreed to foot 67 percent of thecosts for the club's opening in January. He had invested $50,000 bythe time federal investigators began asking questions. Thefederal criminal complaint against Kimble also orders him toforfeit all property and money made off the illegal proceeds of hisMedicare fraud.

Source: www.chron.com.