Ifeanyi Ozoh Sentenced to 72 Months in US Prison for Insurance Scheme Kickbacks
In a significant legal development, Ifeanyi Ozoh, a 54-year-old Nigerian resident in the United States, has been sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for his involvement in a $6 million bribery scheme designed to defraud the Medicaid insurance program through kickbacks.
In addition to his prison term, Ozoh has been ordered to pay $4.9 million in restitution to Medicaid and will undergo three years of supervised release post-incarceration.
The Case Details
The sentencing, announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani and published on the U.S. Department of Justice website, follows Ozoh’s conviction for conspiring to pay bribes to marketers and parents to falsely direct Medicaid-insured patients to a non-existent clinic. This fraudulent clinic was then used to submit claims to Medicaid.
Court Proceedings
The federal jury, after a brief deliberation following a three-day trial, found Ozoh guilty on all counts on February 14. The Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court, Randy Crane, underscored the substantial evidence against Ozoh, revealing his pivotal role in orchestrating the kickback scheme.
The Scheme Unveiled
Ozoh, who was employed by Floss Family Dentalcare Centre in Houston, Texas, was integral in bribing individuals to bring Medicaid-insured children to the sham clinic. He secretly paid marketers between $20 and $100 per referred patient. Witnesses, including clinic managers, testified that Ozoh disregarded warnings about the illegality of these payments, which he often made discreetly.
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During the trial, it was revealed that Ozoh paid out over $163,000 in bribes and received bonuses for meeting patient quotas. Between 2020 and 2021, Floss Family Dentalcare Centre billed Medicaid over $6 million, receiving more than $4 million based on these fraudulent claims.
Aftermath and Government Response
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Previous Incidents
In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted the overwhelming evidence of Ozoh’s guilt, highlighting his central role in the fraudulent scheme. The case reflects the ongoing efforts by U.S. authorities to combat health care fraud and protect public funds.
Ozoh has been permitted to remain on bond and will voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, which will be determined in the near future.
