By altering the original headline you make it read like Marines were actively engaged in the fraud. That isn't true at all, they were exploited and victimized by those who were running the scam.

But it says they were recruited for up to $300 a month. If they were paid, there were engaged in the fraud.

The title of the article was not altered. Here it is again. Direct copy/paste.

Feds allege California Marines involved in $67M health fraud

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/

Pharmacy and medical practice accused of using San Diego Marines in $67 million healthcare fraud

(snip)
The vast majority of the prescriptions were authorized by emergency room physicians who served as medical directors for Choice MD, a medical practice in Cleveland, Tenn., owned by Jimmy and Ashley Collins, the court documents allege. The practice offers everything from primary care to therapeutic massage to Botox, according to its website. The physicians are not named and only referred to by their initials, S.V. and C.L. One of the doctors also signed off on prescriptions written by a nurse practitioner, the complaint states.

Authorities say The Medicine Shoppe billed TRICARE for 2,721 compound prescriptions authorized by S.V. from December 2014 to May 9, 2015, resulting in more than $47 million in reimbursements. During the same period, the doctor wrote three non-compounded prescriptions for TRICARE patients. Authorities don’t specify the types of compounded drugs, but some were in cream form.

Investigators say the specialized drugs went to a network of Southern California Marines who were recruited by fellow Marines to participate in a medical study. The Marines were paid $100 to $300 a month to talk to the doctors over the phone in a telemedicine exam, the affidavit states. TRICARE allows telemedicine consultations, but they must be held in places such as a doctor’s office, not at home.

Investigators tracked some $45 million linked to The Medicine Shoppe that moved around in bank accounts owned by the Collinses and several entities in their control, including $4.4 million allegedly paid to unnamed recruiters during the first half of 2015, the affidavit states.
(snip)

Were they active-duty? Reserves? Veteran Marines?