BREAKING NEWS:
NIGERIAN Medical Doctor, NOBLE EZUKANMA Faces Conviction for STEALING $50Million Medicare FUND in AMERICA…Sentenced to 200 Months in Federal Prison
*Ordered to pay $34,003,151.24 in Restitution for Shameful Role in Texas
*Guilty for ONE COUNT of conspiracy to commit Health Care Fraud and six counts of health care fraud
* “This is the kind of flagrant fraud that drives up health care costs to consumers everywhere”-U.S. Attorney John Parker, Northern District of Texas
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF, UNITED STATES
HE IS A NIGERIAN BORN Naturalized American. 57 year old NOBLE EZUKANMA, was a licensed medical doctor who had an ownership interest in United States Physician Home Visits (USPHV), a/k/a “Healthcare Liaison Professionals, Inc.” located on Viceroy Drive in Dallas. His business partners: Parcon, and Dejesus owned/operated USPHV.
Ezukanma of Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced recently by United States District Judge Jane Boyle to 200 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $34,003,151.24 in restitution for his role in an over $50 million Medicare fraud scheme, as announced United States Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Ezukanma was convicted, following a five-day trial, in March 2017 of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of health care fraud. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
“This is the kind of flagrant fraud that drives up health care costs to consumers everywhere,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “In return, this office will do everything we can to drive up the costs to those who choose to engage in health care fraud as a profession.”
Co-defendants Oliva A. Padilla, 57, and Ben P. Gaines, 55, have pleaded guilty to their role in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing. The following co-defendants have also pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced:
Myrna S. Parcon, a/k/a “Merna Parcon,” 62, 120 months and $51,497,930.87 in restitution Ransome N. Etindi, 57, 30 months and $18,309,171.21 in restitution
Lita S. Dejesus, 70, 24 months and $4,193,655.78 in restitution.
According to evidence presented at trial, Ezukanma, Parcon, and Dejesus owned/operated US Physician Home Visits (USPHV), a/k/a “Healthcare Liaison Professionals, Inc.” located on Viceroy Drive in Dallas. Parcon was the owner/manager and Ezukanma was a licensed medical doctor who had an ownership interest in USPHV. Both Ezukanma and Etindi provided their Medicare number to the company to use to submit Medicare claims. Dejesus served in various roles at USPHV, including office manager.
Gaines formed A Good Homehealth (A Good), a/k/a “Be Good Healthcare, Inc.,” which was located in the same office as USPHV. Parcon, who owned and operated A Good, purchased the company through a “straw” buyer; both Gaines and Parcon concealed Parcon’s ownership.
Parcon and Padilla formed Essence Home Health (Essence), a/k/a “Primary Angel, Inc.,” located on Midway Road in Addison, Texas.
While the three companies appeared to be set up as three separate entities, the companies worked as one; the same employees often worked for all three companies and were often paid by all three companies.
According to evidence presented at trial, from January 1, 2009 to approximately June 9, 2013, Ezukanma and Etindi certified 94% of the Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health services from A Good, and 65% of the Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health services from Essence. Had Medicare known of the true ownership and improper relationship between the three companies, Medicare would not have allowed these companies to enroll in the program and bill for services.
USPHV submitted billing primarily under Dr. Ezukanma’s Medicare provider number, regardless of who actually performed the service. They billed at an alarming rate, generally billing for only the most comprehensive physician exam, and always adding a prolonged service code. USPHV submitted claims to Medicare for physician visits of 90 minutes or more, when most visits took only 15 to 20 minutes. Most all of USPHV patients came from home health companies soliciting certifications and recertifications for home health. More than 97% of USPHV Medicare patients received home health care, whether they needed it or not. The false certifications caused Medicare to pay more than $40 million for fraudulent home health services.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and were brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Pfeifle and Douglas Brasher prosecuted this case.
PRESS STATEMENT:
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Texas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Doctor Convicted of $50 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 200 Months in Federal Prison
DALLAS – Noble U. Ezukanma, 57, of Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle to 200 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $34,003,151.24 in restitution for his role in an over $50 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Ezukanma was convicted, following a five-day trial, in March 2017 of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of health care fraud. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
“This is the kind of flagrant fraud that drives up health care costs to consumers everywhere,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “In return, this office will do everything we can to drive up the costs to those who choose to engage in health care fraud as a profession.”
Co-defendants Oliva A. Padilla, 57, and Ben P. Gaines, 55, have pleaded guilty to their role in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing. The following co-defendants have also pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced:
Myrna S. Parcon, a/k/a “Merna Parcon,” 62, 120 months and $51,497,930.87 in restitution Ransome N. Etindi, 57, 30 months and $18,309,171.21 in restitution
Lita S. Dejesus, 70, 24 months and $4,193,655.78 in restitution
According to evidence presented at trial, Ezukanma, Parcon, and Dejesus owned/operated US Physician Home Visits (USPHV), a/k/a “Healthcare Liaison Professionals, Inc.” located on Viceroy Drive in Dallas. Parcon was the owner/manager and Ezukanma was a licensed medical doctor who had an ownership interest in USPHV. Both Ezukanma and Etindi provided their Medicare number to the company to use to submit Medicare claims. Dejesus served in various roles at USPHV, including office manager.
Gaines formed A Good Homehealth (A Good), a/k/a “Be Good Healthcare, Inc.,” which was located in the same office as USPHV. Parcon, who owned and operated A Good, purchased the company through a “straw” buyer; both Gaines and Parcon concealed Parcon’s ownership.
Parcon and Padilla formed Essence Home Health (Essence), a/k/a “Primary Angel, Inc.,” located on Midway Road in Addison, Texas.
While the three companies appeared to be set up as three separate entities, the companies worked as one; the same employees often worked for all three companies and were often paid by all three companies.
According to evidence presented at trial, from January 1, 2009 to approximately June 9, 2013, Ezukanma and Etindi certified 94% of the Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health services from A Good, and 65% of the Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health services from Essence. Had Medicare known of the true ownership and improper relationship between the three companies, Medicare would not have allowed these companies to enroll in the program and bill for services.
USPHV submitted billing primarily under Dr. Ezukanma’s Medicare provider number, regardless of who actually performed the service. They billed at an alarming rate, generally billing for only the most comprehensive physician exam, and always adding a prolonged service code. USPHV submitted claims to Medicare for physician visits of 90 minutes or more, when most visits took only 15 to 20 minutes. Most all of USPHV patients came from home health companies soliciting certifications and recertifications for home health. More than 97% of USPHV Medicare patients received home health care, whether they needed it or not. The false certifications caused Medicare to pay more than $40 million for fraudulent home health services.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and were brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Pfeifle and Douglas Brasher prosecuted.
# # #
Topic(s):
Healthcare Fraud
Component(s):
USAO – Texas, Northern
Contact:
Lisa Slimak
214-659-8600
Lisa.Slimak@usdoj.gov
Updated September 13, 2017
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