Guilty Plea in Baton Rouge, Lousiana to Charge of Health Care Fraud
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 10, 2009 |
BATON ROUGE, LA—United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced that ROBERT IVORY LEVY, age 58, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Frank J. Polozola to one count of an indictment charging him with health care fraud.
The indictment in this matter, filed October 29, 2008, also charged two other defendants, ALTON BATES, age 61, and JUANITA ANDERSON HILTON, age 41, both of Baton Rouge, with similar charges in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving a company known as Above and Beyond, LLC. BATES, owner, manager and operator of Above and Beyond, LLC, and a Baton Rouge attorney, pled guilty on July 21, 2009, to two counts of health care fraud and two counts of paying kickbacks. HILTON also pled guilty on July 21, 2009, to one count of health care fraud. HILTON and LEVY were licensed clinical social workers employed by Above and Beyond, LLC.
As a result of his guilty plea, LEVY faces a maximum sentence of a term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, or both. The Court may also order LEVY to pay restitution in accordance with law.
As a result of his guilty plea, BATES faces a maximum sentence of a term of imprisonment of 30 years, a $1,000,000 fine, or both. The Court may also order BATES to pay restitution in accordance with law.
As a result of her guilty plea, HILTON faces a maximum sentence of a term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, or both. The Court may also order HILTON to pay restitution in accordance with law.
Sentencing has not yet been set for these defendants.
This investigation of this matter, and others similar to it, is ongoing, and is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and AdvanceMed, the Medicare Program Safeguard Contractor which assists with health care fraud investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney René I. Salomon.
Special Agent in Charge Mike Fields of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Dallas Regional Office, said, “Today’s guilty plea is the culmination of a concerted and joint effort by the HHS Office of Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to quickly bring to justice those who prey on our elderly for financial gain. The HHS Office of Investigations is committed to protecting the Medicare program and its beneficiaries.”
For further information, contact David R. Dugas, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, or Lyman Thornton, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, at (225) 389-0443.