Unlicensed Medical Assistant Convicted in $6 Million Fraud Conspiracy | OPA

A federal jury convicted an Illinois girl yesterday for conspiring to defraud Medicare of about $6 million.

According to court docket paperwork and proof offered at demo, Rhonda Sutton, 58, of Matteson, labored as an unlicensed healthcare assistant for a health practitioner in Chicago and surrounding parts from at the very least 2009 until finally at the very least 2012. In this situation, Sutton conspired with many others, like the owners of two household health and fitness treatment organizations, to fraudulently certify Medicare beneficiaries for property health companies for which those people beneficiaries did not qualify.

Precisely, Sutton forged her doctor employer’s signature on certification types and supporting documentation, which caused Medicare beneficiaries to be enrolled in in excess of 2,000 episodes of property well being care at A&Z and Dominion house well being agencies, each found in Lansing, Illinois. Sutton presented the cast medical doctor sorts to A&Z and Dominion, which enabled A&Z and Dominion to post statements to Medicare for expert services that the beneficiaries did not will need and were being not competent to obtain. The owners of A&Z and Dominion compensated Sutton kickbacks in trade for the forged medical professional varieties. A&Z and Dominion received over $6 million from Medicare owing to Sutton’s fraudulent conduct.  

Sutton was convicted of conspiracy to dedicate overall health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2023 and faces a utmost penalty of 10 yrs in jail. A federal district court choose will determine any sentence after contemplating the U.S. Sentencing Pointers and other statutory elements.

Assistant Attorney Normal Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division U.S. Lawyer John R. Lausch Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Division Performing Distinctive Agent in Charge John S. Morales of the FBI Chicago Discipline Workplace and Unique Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Division of Well being and Human Expert services Workplace of Inspector Normal (HHS-OIG), Chicago Regional Office produced the announcement.

The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the scenario, which was brought as section of the Chicago Strike Power, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Part and the U.S. Attorney’s Place of work for the Northern District of Illinois.

Trial Attorneys Victor B. Yanz, Claire T. Sobczak, and Sarah W. Rocha of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Area and Assistant U.S. Lawyer Patrick Mott for the Northern District of Illinois prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Area sales opportunities the Legal Division’s attempts to battle health care fraud via the Well being Treatment Fraud Strike Drive Program. Due to the fact March 2007, this plan, comprised of 15 strike forces functioning in 24 federal districts, has billed far more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare system for much more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Solutions, operating in conjunction with the Business of the Inspector Normal for the Division of Overall health and Human Solutions, are using actions to hold companies accountable for their involvement in wellness treatment fraud strategies. Extra data can be observed at https://www.justice.gov/prison-fraud/health-treatment-fraud-unit.