DALLAS—Alexis C. Norman, 47, of Midlothian, Texas, appeared in federal court this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge David L. Horan and pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud, announced John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Norman, who remains on bond, faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, mandatory restitution, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for November 19, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle.

According to documents filed in the case, Norman was the CEO and Executive Director of Greater Southwest Group, Inc. (GSWG) and Ellis County Community Services (ECCS). She obtained Medicaid group numbers for GSWG and ECCS and used those numbers, together with individual Medicaid provider numbers of licensed counselors and Medicaid recipient information, to submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid.

Norman, who is neither a psychotherapist nor a mental health provider, submitted claims for individual and family psychotherapy sessions that were not performed. As part of her fraud scheme, Norman used the Medicaid provider information of licensed counselors who applied for positions as contract counselors at GSWG and ECCS, but who were never hired and never worked for Norman, GSWG, or ECCS. Norman also used the Medicaid provider numbers of licensed counselors, without their knowledge and consent, to submit claims under the GSWG and ECCS group numbers for services that they did not perform and for psychotherapy services that predated and postdated their actual employment with Norman. The indictment alleges that Norman used the identification of more than 500 Medicaid recipients, most of whom were minor children, in her scheme.

From December 2, 2009, through July 17, 2014, Norman submitted claims to Medicaid and to Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, through GSWG and ECCS, totaling approximately $5,502,724.88; Norman was paid approximately $2,596,045.97 for these claims.

The FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher is prosecuting.