Maryland man sentenced for Medicaid fraud

WASHINGTON - Uche Ben Odunzeh of Laurel, Md., was sentenced Jan. 16 to 19 months in prison for a federal charge stemming from the submission of more than $600,000 in false healthcare claims, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Odunzeh pled guilty in October of 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed to pay $277,383 in restitution to the District of Columbia. He also agreed to forfeit the proceeds of the fraud. Odunzeh was the sole owner of Emerald Medical Services in the District of Columbia, a company that sold DME, power wheelchairs and incontinence supplies. Beginning in 2008, Emerald Medical submitted 100 claims for the most expensive power wheelchair, even though it provided more basic, less expensive wheelchairs. Odunzeh was paid nearly twice as much as he was owed by Medicaid.