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Federal authorities say Southern California Marines were recruited for a scheme that bilked the government's military health insurance provider out of $67 million.

The San Diego Union-Tribune (http://bit.ly/2v1kixi) says a complaint was filed Thursday in San Diego as part of a civil asset forfeiture case. Authorities are trying to seize the property of a Tennessee couple.

Investigators say Marines were recruited at up to $300 a month for a so-called medical study that involved phone consultations with a doctor's office in Cleveland, Tennessee, owned by Jimmy and Ashley Collins.

The Marines were prescribed costly compound drugs.

A pharmacy in Bountiful, Utah, filled thousands of prescriptions and billed them to the insurer, TRICARE.

Lawyers for the couple deny they committed fraud.

This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.

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