Tyler, Texas Medical Supply Owner Sentenced for Health Care Fraud Scheme
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 22, 2011 |
TYLER, TX—A 51-year-old Tyler man has been sentenced to federal prison for health care fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Nicodemus Udofia pleaded guilty on May 31, 2011, to health care fraud and illegal remunerations charges and was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Udofia was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $50,994.53 to the Medicare program and forfeiture of the proceeds of the fraud scheme.
According to information presented in court, from 2006 to 2008, Udofia, the owner of a medical equipment business in Tyler, submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medical equipment and supplies which were not provided to beneficiaries. As a result of these claims, Udofia unlawfully obtained more than $50,000 from Medicare and Medicaid. Udofia also offered to pay illegal remunerations, or cash kickbacks, in exchange for patient information that he could use to submit claims to Medicare and Medicaid. Udofia was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3, 2010.
This case was investigated by the Texas Office of the Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (OAG-MFCU), the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.