Politics

‘The Whole Thing Was A Scam’: Jim Biden Used His Powerful Brother’s Name To Promote Failed Health Company

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Jim Biden frequently invoked his brother Joe Biden’s name to promote a now-defunct health care company that allegedly engaged in massive Medicare fraud, according to Politico.

Jim Biden’s name appeared in investor materials and internal communications alongside some of the top leaders and executives at Americore, a hospital operator that sought to reinvigorate health care in rural America, and at least three members of the Biden family did work with the company, according to Politico’s investigation. Jim Biden would frequently invoke his brother’s name when pitching prospective investors in the company, which wired Jim Biden $200,000 before he transferred the same amount to Joe Biden in 2018.

“This would be a perfect platform to expose my Brothers (sic) team to [your] protocol,” Jim Biden wrote to Jonathan Brenner, the CEO of a Tampa-area company that owned licensing rights to a new cancer treatment, while he was consulting for Americore, according to Politico. “Could provide a great opportunity for some real exposure.”

Politico did not uncover any evidence to suggest that Joe Biden took any steps to benefit the firm or became involved in Americore’s operations. However, anonymous Americore executives told Politico that Jim Biden had discussed putting Joe Biden on the company’s board and that Joe Biden’s political career could have benefited if the company successfully improved health care in rural regions of the U.S.

Federal investigators are actively probing an alleged $100 million Medicare fraud involving Americore, according to Politico. The Department of Justice has alleged that the company’s hospital in Pennsylvania entered into phony agreements and gave kickback payments as part of a broader conspiracy that charged the government for unnecessary testing.

There were also discussions about potentially giving Joe Biden a stake in the company, but those talks never materialized, a former executive told Politico. One person who Jim Biden pitched about Americore remembered Jim Biden saying that his brother was in the car with him while he spoke, the individual on the receiving end of the call told Politico.

A draft version of a presentation meant for investors included a slide outlining Americore’s management, listing Jim Biden just below the company’s CEO, according to Politico. Jim Biden’s biography describes him as the “brother and campaign finance chair of President Joe Biden” with a “tremendous network of contacts across healthcare, real estate, technology, international unions, federal agencies (specifically the veterans’ administration), post-traumatic stress and the insurance industry.”

Jim Biden also engaged in efforts to lock down investment in the company from Qatari interests, according to Politico.

“My family could provide a wealth of introductions and business opportunities at the highest levels that I believe would be worthy of the interest of His Excellency,” James Biden wrote in a 2017 draft letter intended for Khaled Sultan Al Rabban of the Qatar Investment Authority, according to Politico. “On behalf of the Biden family, I welcome your interest here.”

Ultimately, efforts to secure Qatari capital did not pan out, and Americore subsequently collapsed as its existing financial problems intensified, according to Politico. The company’s failure had significant human costs, including missed payments to hospital employees and diminishing services for patients.

“I was sold that Americore was going to be the salvation of rural hospitals,” a former Americore executive told Politico, which granted the source anonymity to discuss the matter candidly. “The whole thing was a scam, and it didn’t take that long to figure it out.”

Jim Biden paid $350,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging that he played a role in Americore’s demise, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The White House did not respond immediately to a request for comment.