NIGERIAN SHOCKER IN AMERICA!
P/HCourt Society Lady, 43, Arrested in Houston Airport for Health Care Fraud …Sings like a bird in Court
*Defraud US Medicare through secret selling of Wheelchairs
*Illegally obtain guarded names, dates of birth, health info of elderly Americans
* Falsely claim over $3.4 million, obtained more than $1.6 million
* Physicians’ signatures forged, fake claims submitted to Medicare as beneficiaries
*Ex- Ivy Health Care Supply boss fleeced 790 deceased US citizens in Texas and Louisiana
*How she has been a Fugitive since March 2011
*If convicted, faces 10 year jail term on each count of Identity Theft
BY SAMSON SHOAGA/MANAGING EDITOR, CHICAGO
PORTHARCOURT is a beautiful tourist city in South-South Nigeria, and various elites openly display their wealth by their choice of houses and cars they are being chauffeur-driven. Notoriously known in the society circles in that city is a woman called ‘Vicky Yankee’, Vivian Yusuf. She fleeced American Medicare through a fraudulent scheme perpetuated by her ‘criminal network’ in persons of ‘Aghaegbuna, Ike, Odulugo, and James Reese’ now serving various jail terms. In Houston, Texas, she lives big, drives big cars, with a retinue of domestic workers at her beck and call in her office.
Her Arrest in Houston Airport
This 43-year-old Nigerian fugitive has been arrested at a Houston airport and will now face federal health care fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales.
Vivian, a native of Port Harcourt, former owner of Ivy Health Care Supply, a Houston area medical supply company, was arrested on June 3, 2014, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. She had been indicted for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft and a fugitive since March 2011.
Her Indictment
According to the indictment, from June 2007 through May 2009, Vivian, Aghaegbuna “Ike” Odelugo, James Reese, and others carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare through the marketing of power wheelchairs and accessories, as well as ortho kits, which primarily consisted of a bag of orthotic items, including braces, wraps and supports, and a heat lamp or heat pad.
As part of the scheme, the defendant and her co-conspirators illegally obtained protected health information, including names, dates of birth, and Medicare numbers from elderly individuals. Vivian and her co-conspirators supplied beneficiaries with kits and power wheelchairs that were not prescribed or otherwise authorized by a physician and that were not wanted by the beneficiaries. Claims were submitted by the defendant and her co-conspirators for approximately 790 beneficiaries located primarily in Texas and Louisiana.
Forges Physicians’ Signatures
Naija Standard gathered that in some instances, physicians’ signatures were forged and false claims were submitted to Medicare in the names of Medicare beneficiaries who were deceased. By means of fraudulent billing practices, the defendant and her co-conspirators unlawfully submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare of more than $3.4 million and obtained more than $1.6 million.
Vivian appeared in federal court in Houston for an initial appearance, while singing like a ‘Kennery-bird’ willing to confess to all her atrocities and she is being transferred to the Eastern District of Texas.
Odelugo and Reese were indicted for their involvement in similar health care fraud schemes. “Ike” Odelugo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and money laundering and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison. The loss to Medicare as a result of Odelugo’s scheme was approximately $9.9 million. James Reese pleaded guilty to health care fraud and tax evasion and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison. The loss to Medicare as a result of Reese’s scheme was approximately $8.6 million.
If convicted, Vivian faces up to 10 years in prison for each count of conspiracy and health care fraud and up to two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Texas Office of the Attorney General-Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (OAG-MFCU), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld is prosecuting this case.
