Texas home health owner sentenced in $375M Medicare fraud scheme
Co-owner Patricia Akamnonu, 52, will spend 10 years in federal prison and pay $25M
A 52 year-old woman who co-owned a home healthcare agency with her husband in Cedar Hill, Texas, will spend 10 years in federal prison and pay $25 million in restitution for her role in a $375 million fraud led by a doctor connected to their agency, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.
Patricia Akamnonu, who co-owned Ultimate Care Home Health Services with her husband Cy Akamnonu, pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and received the maximum sentence. Her husband also pleaded guilty and is serving his 10-year federal sentence. He will also pay $25 million in restitution.
[Also: Doctor sentenced 9 years in $20 million clinic scandal]
According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Patricia Akamnonu kept a working Medicare group provider number for her agency for the purposes of submitting Medicare claims for home health services that either weren't needed or were never actually performed. Authorities say she attended at least one meeting with other key players where they discussed recruiting Medicare beneficiaries for home health services they didn't qualify for or need. Those co-conspirators included her husband, and Dr. Jacques Roy, who authorities say led the scheme, and others.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the conspiracy included the exchange of paperwork between Ultimate Care and Medistat Group Associates, which was controlled by Roy. They say Roy would then sign the documents, certifying the patient was under his care. Patricia Akamnonu also signed the documents, which were used to certify home health care for the patient.
Like Healthcare Finance on Facebook
For five years, from January 2006 to November 2011, Roy, or another Medistate doctor under his direction, certified more than 78 percent of Ultimate Care's beneficiaries. Ultimate billed Medicare for more than $43 million in services for these patients.
Three defendants, including Mr. and Mrs. Akamnonu and Teri Sivils, who was Medistat's office manager, have pleaded guilty. Roy and three other co-conspirators go to trial in March.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn
