A Texas man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for his involvement in a medical equipment fraud scheme.
In addition to a 49-month prison sentence, Kenric Wakeen Griffin has been ordered to pay more than $5 million in restitution to government health care programs.
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A jury convicted Griffin of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks, as well as seven counts of payment and receipt of kickbacks, according to a press release from the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
The Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) found that Griffin obtained patients by offering and paying kickbacks to marketers.
Investigators also found that Griffin was disguising illegal payments as marketing services and outsourced business services before submitting false claims to Medicaid and Medicare for orthopedic equipment that was never provided, not medically necessary, and not authorized by a physician, the press release states.
Medicaid costs Texas taxpayers over $40 billion per year. In the last fiscal year, the MFCU has recovered more than $236 million in settlements and judgments for Texas taxpayers, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
“Federal and industry authorities estimate that fraud comprises up to ten percent of the costs of the Medicaid program, making Medicaid fraud a $4 billion problem in Texas,” the press release states.
If you suspect Medicaid fraud or abuse, or patient neglect, please report it by visiting the Texas Attorney General’s website.