Licensed Professional Counselor Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison
Margie Hollingsworth Also Fined and Ordered to Pay Restitution to Medicaid

LUBBOCK, TX—Licensed Professional Counselor Margie E. Hollingsworth, of Lubbock, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 46 months in federal prison, following her guilty plea in February 2012 to one count of making a false statement in a health care matter. In addition, Judge Cummings ordered that Hollingsworth pay a $6,000 fine and $556,704 in restitution to Medicaid. She must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on or before November 23, 2012. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña, of the Northern District of Texas.

According to the factual resume filed in the case, from January 2, 2004 through December 2009, Hollingsworth, an approved Medicaid provider, submitted a claim to Medicare for three hours of face-to-face counseling provided to a patient in Lubbock on Christmas Day 2009, when, in fact, she was in Colorado at the time. According to the indictment, during this time period, the total amount Hollingsworth billed for services provided to Medicaid beneficiaries was between $1 million and $2.5 million. Of that amount, Hollingsworth was paid approximately $576,234.39. Of that, $556,704 was paid for fraudulent claims.

The case was investigated by the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Burch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock was in charge of the prosecution.