Medicare Fraud Rocks Toledo Area: Doctor Charged with Swindling $8.4 Million
TOLEDO, Ohio – In a shocking case of Medicare fraud, 39-year-old Ankita Singh, a former physician from Maumee, Ohio, has been charged with bilking the federal health insurance program out of a staggering $8.4 million. According to a six-count indictment unsealed on [Date], Singh allegedly participated in a scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, prosthetics, and supplies (DMEPOS) between June 2018 and May 2021.
At the heart of the scam were telemarketers and call centers that cold-called Medicare beneficiaries, convincing them to receive braces in the mail at no cost. The call center operators and telemarketers would then use general information about the beneficiaries, including their names, Medicare numbers, and purported diagnoses, to prepare DMEPOS order forms that certified the equipment and supplies were medically necessary.
What’s more, the indictment alleges that Singh, who was a state-licensed physician, would sign off on these order forms without ever having spoken to, examined, or otherwise established a doctor-patient relationship with the beneficiaries. This allowed suppliers to ship the items listed on the order forms to the beneficiaries and submit corresponding claims to Medicare.
As a result of Singh’s alleged scheme, Medicare shelled out a whopping $8.4 million for unnecessary equipment and supplies. If convicted, Singh faces a sentence determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including her prior criminal record, if any, her role in the offenses, and the characteristics of the violation.
It’s worth noting that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG) and the Cleveland FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody L. King is prosecuting the case.
Related Federal Cases
- Sharon Romaine Ward, Medicare Billing Fraud, Ohio 2021 · Ohio
- Ahmed A. Sh. Ahmed, Wire Fraud and False Statements, Ohio, 2023 · Ohio
- Russell W. Spitz, Bank and Wire Fraud, Ohio, 2023 · Ohio
- Divyesh “David” C. Patel, Medicaid and Medicare Fraud, OH, 2023 · Ohio
- Mark F Speakman, Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Ohio 2024 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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