A federal jury in Fort Worth, Texas, has convicted licensed professional counselor Kevin D. Curry, 64, for his role in a $26 million healthcare fraud, kickback and money-laundering scheme involving the U.S. military healthcare programme TRICARE.

According to evidence presented at trial, Curry operated three purported mental health clinics in Texas and Florida and billed TRICARE for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy that was medically unnecessary or not provided.

Prosecutors said Curry paid and offered more than $5.5 million in kickbacks to persuade active-duty servicemembers, veterans and their families to undergo TMS therapy they did not qualify for. He also allegedly used doctors’ credentials without their knowledge and directed employees to fabricate medical records to support fraudulent claims.

The clinics submitted more than $26 million in fraudulent and kickback-tainted claims to TRICARE, of which the programme paid approximately $17 million, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Curry was convicted on three counts each of healthcare fraud, offering and paying illegal healthcare kickbacks, and monetary transactions involving criminally derived property.

Prosecutors said he used some of the proceeds for luxury expenses, including hotels, a casino-themed party and a gold-plated Tesla Cybertruck valued at more than $100,000.

Curry is scheduled to be sentenced later and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal judge will determine the sentence after considering the applicable guidelines and statutory factors.