Aug. 16, 2021

Army Veteran Sentenced in Maryland to Federal Prison for Supplying Forged Military Discharge Certificates to Individuals Applying for Military Waivers to Obtain Commercial Driver's Licenses

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Philip Mungin, age 58, formerly of Bryans Road, Maryland and currently residing in Mira Loma, California, to three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for forgery of a military discharge certificate and for identity theft, in connection with a scheme in which Mungin provided fraudulent DD-214 discharge certificates to individuals for fraudulent military waiver applications for commercial driver's licenses in exchange for payment. Judge Xinis also ordered Mungin to forfeit $13,000, and to pay a money judgment of $2,000.

Aug. 13, 2021

Former Ft. Bragg Employees Accused of Receiving Bribes

Three men formerly employed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina were arrested today on charges of bribery of a government official. Calvin Alfonza Jordan, 64, Edward Wade Crisco, 59, and Stephen Paul Sabato, 50, were charged via indictment with Jordan also charged with money laundering. According to court documents, from 2011 to 2019, Jordan was a procurement agent assigned to the Operations and Maintenance Division, Directorate of Public Works (DPW), at Fort Bragg, NC, and entrusted to contract for services for DPW. DPW is responsible for design, construction, maintenance, and operation of utility systems on Ft. Bragg.

Aug. 12, 2021

Columbia Woman Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud

A Columbia, Mississippi woman pied guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of health care fraud. Thursday, August 12, 2021 According to court documents, beginning in 2016 and continuing for well over two years, Joy Beth Harden, 51, executed a scheme to defraud Medicare and other health care benefit programs. Specifically, Harden submitted fraudulent bills for durable medical equipment on behalf of her business, BZB LLC doing business as Duracare Home Medical Equipment in the Hattiesburg area. As a result, Medicare and other benefits programs paid Harden for durable medical equipment that was never prescribed for patients and for medical equipment that was never delivered to the patients.

Aug. 12, 2021

Louisiana Compound Marketer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Pay Illegal Kickbacks and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

A Monroe, Louisiana man pleaded guilty today to engaging in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to pay illegal health care kickbacks and conspiracy to defraud the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of the DoD OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office.

Aug. 9, 2021

Former Owners of Hillsborough Compounding Pharmacy Pay $1,082,991.94 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

The owners of a now-closed compounding pharmacy have paid $1,082,991.94 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment to the TRICARE program between September 2014 and May 2015.

Aug. 2, 2021

North Georgia Health Clinic and its CEO agree to pay $130,000.00 to settle False Claims Act allegations that they issued medically unnecessary opioid prescriptions

North Georgia Healthcare Center, Inc. ("NGHC"), a Ringgold, Georgia, based nonprofit corporation and healthcare provider, as well as its CEO, Delaine Hunter, have agreed to pay $130,000.00 dollars to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission - between January 1, 2012 and September 10, 2018 - of medically unnecessary claims for Schedule II controlled substances to the United States and State of Georgia. Specifically, the Complaint alleges that Dr. Gary Smith, a former NGHC physician, improperly prescribed opioids without appropriate medical review and judgment of medical necessity.

Aug. 2, 2021

Georgia company and owner admit guilt in scheme to evade U.S. national security trade sanctions

Dali Bagrou pied guilty in U.S. District Court to Conspiracy, while his company, World Mining and Oil Supply (WMO) of Dacula, Ga., pied guilty to Violation of the Export Control Reform Act, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Bagrou to a statutory sentence of up to five years in prison and substantial financial penalties, followed by up to three years of supervised release, while WMO is subject to a sentence of up to five years' probation, along with significant fines and financial restitution. As part of his plea, Bagrou also agreed to forfeit a home purchased with illicit proceeds; the Atlanta-area residence is valued at approximately $800,000.

July 30, 2021

Louisiana Doctor Pleads Guilty to Workers' Comp Fraud Conspiracy

A Lake Charles, La., physician pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, healthcare fraud, fraud to obtain federal employees' compensation, and illegal remunerations (taking kickbacks), in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. government and private insurance companies by over-billing for unnecessary medications provided to workers' compensation patients.

July 23, 2021

Interface Rehab to Pay $2 Million to Resolve Allegations It Caused Medicare Submissions for Unnecessary or Unreasonable Services

Interface Rehab (Interface), headquartered and operating in Orange County, has agreed to pay $2 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of claims to Medicare for rehabilitation therapy services that were not reasonable or necessary.

July 22, 2021

Three Individuals Charged in Bribery Scheme

Three individuals made their initial appearances in federal court this afternoon on charges of participating in a bribery scheme. According to the indictment, Susan May Keim, 52, and Russell John Keim, Sr., 59, of Hopewell, allegedly accepted bribes from Rodney Gale Wilson, 65, of Imperial, Missouri, in return for Susan Keim's award of federal subcontracts to Wilson's company, C&L Supply.