Paige Okpalobi, the owner and operator of Medical Specialists of New Orleans, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud for her role in a $50 million Medicare fraud scheme, according to the Department of Justice.
Ms. Okpalobi's medical clinic employed physicians to certify that Medicare beneficiaries were qualified to receive home health services, according to the DOJ.
According to Ms. Okpalobi's plea agreement, some of the physicians employed at her clinic would falsely certify certain patients as qualified for home healthcare services. In collaboration with her co-conspirators, Ms. Okpalobi would then use the false certifications to bill Medicare for the fraudulent services through home healthcare companies she operated. She admitted she caused $49,989,323 in fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare from 2007 to 2014.
Ms. Okpalobi also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify records in a federal investigation. To conceal illegal kickbacks and mislead a grand jury, Ms. Okpalobi admitted she fabricated tax and employment records in response to a federal grand jury subpoena.
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