Practice areas: White Collar Crimes, Health Care; view more
Licensed in Florida since: 1996
Education: The City University of New York School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024 Call today:
305-712-7177
Free Consultation Chapman Law Group
701 Waterford WaySuite 340
Miami, FL 33126 Visit website
Details
With a penchant for solving complex problems and an unbreakable work ethic that caters to top-tier professionalism, Jonathan Meltz is a prolific health care attorney and helps his clients – doctors, nurses and other health care providers – with their legal matters, including health care fraud and abuse, DEA registration, criminal law and physician license defense, among many others. He is a senior attorney at the Chapman Law Group in Miami, Florida, and has over 25 years of experience in the legal field.
Mr. Meltz is stoic in getting his clients the respite they require to lead their lives stress-free from their legal problems. His behemoth presence within his legal community and the adulation he has received from his peers are testaments to his shrewd legal acumen and his talents in and out of the courtroom. Not only dealing with health care law, his white collar defense practice is peerless, and his attentive and methodical approach to every case he handles is sought after across the United States. For his contributions, he has been peer-review rated AV Preeminent* through Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating by the organization, and is esteemed for his high ethical standards.
After graduating from the University of Miami in 1991 with his bachelor’s degree in advertising and political science, Mr. Meltz decided to enroll at the City University of New York School of Law, where he was the co-editor for The Brief, the law school newspaper. He received his Juris Doctor in 1996, and in the same year, he obtained his license to practice in Florida as well. With an additional license to practice in the District of Columbia, he is also admitted to practice before all the federal district courts of Florida and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Mr. Meltz got his start in law as an assistant public defender at the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, representing individuals charged with violent felonies from arraignment and trial to sentencing. His pristine career has seen him participate in over 70 jury trials, where he obtained a notable number of dismissals and not-guilty verdicts. Within his legal community, he is a member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Miami Dade Bar Association.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Criminal Defense: White Collar, Health CareFocus areas
Criminal Law - Federal, Health & Health Care Law, White Collar Crime
- 70% Criminal Defense: White Collar
- 30% Health Care
First Admitted: 1996, Florida
Professional Webpage: https://www.chapmanlawgroup.com/attorney/jonathan-meltz/
Bar / Professional Activity
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- Miami Shores Village Recreation Department Advisory Board, Past Chairman
- Greater Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce, Past President
- Prior Florida Bar Committees: Media Law, Consumer Protection Law and Traffic Rules
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- University of Miami School of Law Career Development Office Law Clerk Employer
- Dade County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
- Dade County Bar Association Criminal Courts Committee
- Ensuring Equal Justice Domestic Violence Pro Bono Program
- Florida Bar Speakers Bureau
- Florida Bar Lawyers Advising Lawyers Mentoring Panel Member (Formerly SCOPE)
- Washington, D.C.
- Florida
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Pro Hac Vice
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pro Hac Vice
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Pro Hac Vice
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Pro Hac Vice
- Eleventh Circuit Private Court Appointed Counsel Screening Committee
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Nursing Home Administrator client found not guilty of federal health care fraud in Pittsburgh - U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania. Client was charged in a seven-defendant indictment with health care fraud for falsifying patient care documents to make it appear that the nursing home was meeting the government-mandated staffing ratios to care for patients. After a 5-week trial in Pittsburgh, client was acquitted of all charges. The Superseding Indictment alleged two schemes: first, that management-level employees at two nursing facilities, Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center and Mt. Lebanon Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, knowingly provided, or directed others to provide, falsified staffing records to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) during federally mandated surveys; and second, that the facilities, made false statements in resident assessments, also called Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments, provided to the government to increase Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements., 2024
- Durable Medical Equipment Company Owner acquitted of federal charges. Mr. Meltz's client Kuba Zarobkiewicz and his business partner Anthony Fermin – were found not guilty of all federal health care fraud charges by a federal jury in San Antonio, Texas. In 2023, Kuba Zarobkiewicz, of San Antonio and his partner were charged with 22 counts related to health care fraud, identity theft and kickbacks. Mr. Zarobkiewicz and Mr. Fermin ran brace businesses through multiple companies beginning in 2020 and then voluntarily shut down the businesses in late 2021. They began cooperating with a law enforcement investigation in September 2022 and then were charged in December 2022 in the Western District of Texas even though they were still providing the government with information. "This was one of the most aggressive cases involving the Anti-Kickback Statute that I've ever seen," said Jonathan Meltz, counsel for Kuba Zarobkiewicz. "The government's theory shows the dangers in letting prosecutors use such a broad, vague statute to prosecute cases that should have been handled civilly or administratively, not criminally." During the three-week trial, Zarobkiewicz and Fermin acknowledged that many claims were improperly billed while showing that they had relied on a biller who was not charged. Evidence showed that they were prepared to shut down the brace business twice in the summer of 2021 when they developed concerns about the advice given to them by the biller and that they only continued because of the biller's reassurances. They shut down the business entirely in late 2021 after consulting with another biller and an attorney who was recommended by that biller. The jury deliberated for one and a half days before returning a verdict of not guilty on all charges. Mr. Zarobkiewicz and Mr. Fermin express their gratitude to members of the San Antonio community who supported them during this long ordeal. "I'm extremely thankful to the jury for being fair and just," Mr. Zarobkiewicz said. "The truth has come to light after an extremely difficult two years that changed our lives. We maintained our innocence since day one and now we can move on from this experience.", 2024
- Nurse practitioner receives probation for role in federal health care fraud scheme where the advisory sentencing guidelines range was 30 to 37 months in prison. The Court granted a Downward Variance and sentenced her to 5 years of probation. Charged by indictment for her role in an approximately $3.3 million health care fraud scheme, Ms. Fawn Munro, a licensed registered nurse and nurse practitioner, worked for a telemedicine company and signed orders for Durable Medical Equipment (DME). However, these referrals were not based on the examination of any patient; rather, they were made on the basis of pre-filled intake forms dictating what equipment should go to which beneficiaries and to which companies each order would ultimately be sent. The prescribed equipment was not medically necessary, was largely unwanted by the beneficiary recipients, and was not eligible for reimbursement by Medicare. In total, Ms. Munro’s referrals resulted in Medicare paying over $1.8 million on false and fraudulent claims., 2024
- Marketing Representative receives probation for role in federal health care fraud scheme where the advisory sentencing guidelines range was 24 to 30 months in prison. The Court granted a Downward Variance and sentenced him to 5 years of probation. Jay Pietrzakowski and co-conspirators agreed to unlawfully enrich themselves by paying and receiving kickbacks in exchange for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries, CGx and PGx genetic tests and doctors' orders. They submitted claims to Medicare so that laboratories could bill for genetic tests, without regard to whether the beneficiaries needed the tests or whether the tests were eligible for reimbursement. They also paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies, in exchange for ordering and arranging for the ordering of genetic tests for beneficiaries, without regard to the medical necessity of the prescribed genetic tests or whether the tests were eligible for Medicare reimbursement., 2023
- Client found not guilty of Second-Degree Felony Murder and Burglary. State of Florida v. Daniel Coleman -- Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Criminal Division -- Case No. F06-39452. Prosecutors maintained that Daniel Coleman and his friend Walter Herbert White were stealing merchandise from a gas station storage shed and loading it into their van when they were caught in the act by a Miami-Dade police officer. The van nearly struck the officer as it sped away. The officer fired at the van, fatally striking Mr. White, the driver. The van zoomed through six lanes of traffic, hopping a median, before plowing into an all-night coin laundromat, terrorizing customers. Officers arrived within minutes and found Mr. Coleman, wearing gloves and bleeding. He was found wearing gloves and alone in the back of the van, along with boxes of stolen merchandise and several crowbars. The ensuing investigation revealed that the door to the storage shed had been pried open. Describe the impact of that outcome on the client/public The client faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted on the Second-Degree Felony Murder charge. A plea offer of 15 years in state prison followed by 10 years of probation was made by the State Attorney’s office to settle the case before trial. The jury returned with a verdict of not guilty. The client walked out of court a free man after spending almost 2½ years in jail awaiting trial. Describe specifically how the nominee was instrumental in achieving that outcome Mr. Meltz, a solo practitioner, worked on the case for over 29 months before it went to trial. Describe any hurdles, obstacles overcome by the nominee in achieving the outcome Under state law, someone who commits certain felonies -- in this case, burglary to an unoccupied structure, can be held liable for murder if someone dies during the crime notwithstanding any evidence of an intent to kill. This theory of strict liability in felony murder cases is extremely difficult to overcome. Even if the jury believed that Mr. Coleman had nothing to do with his friend’s choice to drive at the police officer, he could have been still been held liable for the police officer’s decision to shoot and kill his friend., 2009
- Successfully defended client in 1st Stand Your Ground Murder Case in Miami. If convicted, client faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. The client was convicted of a lesser crime and no longer faces life in prison. Should he be successful in his appeal, he cannot be tried again for murder. State of Florida v. Damon Darling, Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Criminal Division - Case No. F06-22033B. Charges: Second-Degree Murder and Attempted Second-Degree Murder Damon Darling was charged with Second-Degree Murder in the 2006 death of 9-year-old Sherdavia Jenkins. Sherdavia was playing with a doll and making mud pies outside the front door of her home when she was struck and killed by a stray bullet fired by Darling’s AK-47 assault rifle. Darling and another man, Leroy Lerose, were involved in a gun fight in broad daylight in the middle of an apartment complex. The day before jury selection was scheduled to begin, Larose agreed to plead guilty and become a witness for the prosecution.The client faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted on the Second-Degree Murder charge. No plea offer was made by the State Attorney’s office to settle the case before trial. The jury returned with a conviction on the lesser crime of Manslaughter. Mr. Meltz, a solo practitioner, worked on the case for over 39 months before it went to trial. The trial itself lasted over five weeks where he was opposed by three prosecutors with a combined 66 years of experience. Describe any hurdles, obstacles overcome by the nominee in achieving the outcome The senseless death of innocent Sherdavia — an A student who earned the highest FCAT score at her school — sparked heavy media coverage and electrified the community. Residents, police and politicians held marches, prayer vigils and demonstrations where they vowed to make Miami-Dade County streets safer and put an end to the gun violence which claimed 18 children in the previous 12 months. Sherdavia’s family attended every court hearing no matter how trivial, intent on seeing justice achieved for their little girl. The case was also closely watched by gun advocates and anti-gun supporters alike as it was one of the first to test Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law enacted in 2006. The law expanded the right to defend yourself and eliminated a person’s duty to retreat when attacked. It removed the so-called "responsibility to run" that made it illegal to shoot if you had a way to escape. It has been called "self-defense on steroids" because it provides immunity to a person who chooses to meet force with force, including deadly force, when he reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm. The case was also featured on two national television programs placing the client under even closer scrutiny. The entire trial was nationally televised on Court TV and featured on the CNN website. From opening statements to closing arguments, the attorney’s trial performance was critiqued daily by attorneys, studio hosts, as well as a national audience. Additionally, the case was featured on an episode of the A&E Network’s The First 48 crime documentary series., 2009
Pro bono / Community Service
- Two-term elected member of Miami Shores Village Council., 2017
- The CHARLEE Program
- Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe, Inc.
- The SEED School of Miami
Educational Background
- University of Miami, Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Political Science, 1991
Industry Groups
- Florida Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL)
- The Dade County Bar Association
- The National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
Selections
1 Year Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2024
