A federal judge ordered a Chicago physician and his wife to pay $3 million in civil damages and penalties after they were found guilty of receiving kickbacks from a home health agency as payment for Medicare patient referrals.
Ndudi Aniemeka, MD, owns Boycin Medical Clinic in Chicago and his wife, Obiageli Aniemeka, serves as the clinic's administrator, according to a May 16 Justice Department news release. In 2009 and 2010, the couple allegedly asked for and received money and other items from Grand Home Health as payment for Dr. Aniemeka's referrals of Medicare patients. The home health agency then provided services to those patients and billed Medicare in violation of the False Claims Act.
The Aniemekas received more than $80,000 in kickbacks from Grand in connection with the referrals, according to the release.
A federal jury determined the Aniemekas' receipt of kickbacks caused 158 false claims to be submitted to Medicare, resulting in Medicare paying $425,976.32 on those claims, according to the release. Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer ordered the couple to pay $1,277,928.96 in treble damages and $1,738,000 in civil penalties.