Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas issued the following news release on June 20 2013:HOUSTON Man Arrested in Health Care Fraud SchemeHOUSTON Mathew U. Okorocha 63 has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Okorocha of Houston joins Lawrence T. Tyler 41 also of Houston in a 10-count superseding indictment returned June 12 2013.
Okorocha is expected to make an initial appearance this afternoon.
The indictment alleges Okorocha sold medical equipment through his company called KC International in Houston. He allegedly created false invoices to assist Tyler in order for his durable medical equipment company to pass its Medicare inspection. In May 2008 Medicare sought invoices from Tyler to verify medical equipment billings to Medicare according to the indictment. Okorocha allegedly helped create false invoices reflecting more than $300000 in purchases of orthotic equipment back knee elbow wrist and ankle braces. Tyler sent these invoices to Medicare twice in June 2008 and again in December 2008 in an effort to keep his billing number according to the indictment. Medicare revoked Tyler at the end of December 2008.
The indictment alleges that from 2007 to 2009 Tyler falsely billed Medicare and Medicaid for so-called ortho kits which consisted of assorted braces. Tyler allegedly billed for equipment that was never delivered billed for equipment using prescriptions from a physician who never treated the patients and up coded - billed for a higher reimbursed brace but delivered a cheaper brace that either did not fit the billing code or did not qualify for any Medicare reimbursement. In addition as part of the conspiracy the indictment alleges Tyler paid a marketer for patient billing information a violation of the federal anti-kickback statute.
Tyler under the company name 1866ICPAYDAY.COM LLC allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid approximately $2.3 million and was paid approximately $1.4 million.
If convicted both face up to five years in prison and a possible $250000 fine.
The charges are the result of the investigative efforts of the FBI the Texas Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General Office of Investigations and the United States Attorneys Office. Special Assistant United States Attorneys Suzanne Bradley and Adrienne Frazior are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas issued the following news release on June 20 2013:HOUSTON Man Arrested in Health Care Fraud SchemeHOUSTON Mathew U. Okorocha 63 has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Okorocha of Houston joins Lawrence T. Tyler 41 also of Houston in a 10-count superseding indictment returned June 12 2013.
Okorocha is expected to make an initial appearance this afternoon.
The indictment alleges Okorocha sold medical equipment through his company called KC International in Houston. He allegedly created false invoices to assist Tyler in order for his durable medical equipment company to pass its Medicare inspection. In May 2008 Medicare sought invoices from Tyler to verify medical equipment billings to Medicare according to the indictment. Okorocha allegedly helped create false invoices reflecting more than $300000 in purchases of orthotic equipment back knee elbow wrist and ankle braces. Tyler sent these invoices to Medicare twice in June 2008 and again in December 2008 in an effort to keep his billing number according to the indictment. Medicare revoked Tyler at the end of December 2008.
The indictment alleges that from 2007 to 2009 Tyler falsely billed Medicare and Medicaid for so-called ortho kits which consisted of assorted braces. Tyler allegedly billed for equipment that was never delivered billed for equipment using prescriptions from a physician who never treated the patients and up coded - billed for a higher reimbursed brace but delivered a cheaper brace that either did not fit the billing code or did not qualify for any Medicare reimbursement. In addition as part of the conspiracy the indictment alleges Tyler paid a marketer for patient billing information a violation of the federal anti-kickback statute.
Tyler under the company name 1866ICPAYDAY.COM LLC allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid approximately $2.3 million and was paid approximately $1.4 million.
If convicted both face up to five years in prison and a possible $250000 fine.
The charges are the result of the investigative efforts of the FBI the Texas Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General Office of Investigations and the United States Attorneys Office. Special Assistant United States Attorneys Suzanne Bradley and Adrienne Frazior are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
