FBI agents arrested 54-year-old Christopher O’Hara, of Kingsbury, TX, without incident this morning in connection with a healthcare kickbacks scheme.
A federal grand jury in San Antonio returned an indictment charging the owner and operator of 1stCare MD and ProfitsCentric with one count of conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks.
The indictment alleges that from 2016 to 2019, O’Hara defrauded HHS in its administration and oversight of Medicare by paying and receiving kickbacks and bribes in exchange for doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment (DME) for Medicare beneficiaries.
The indictment further alleges that O’Hara, 1stCare MD and ProfitsCentric, through their network of doctors, were responsible for generating thousands of doctors’ orders for DME absent of a pre-existing doctor-patient relationship, absent of a physical examination, and based solely on a short telephonic conversation.
O’Hara’s actions resulted in the submission of approximately $40 million in fraudulent Medicare claims for DME.
This afternoon, a federal magistrate judge released O’Hara on a $150,000 bond.
O’Hara faces up to five years in federal prison upon conviction.
The arrest and indictment of O’Hara is part of a nationwide law enforcement action that targeted 24 defendants involved in extensive healthcare fraud schemes that focus on telemedicine and DME marketing.
These schemes allegedly resulted in losses amounting to more than $1.2 billion.
According to the indictment, O’Hara’s actions began in 2016 and continued until 2019.
O’Hara’s arrest is a significant blow to the healthcare industry, and it serves as a reminder that those who seek to defraud the system will be held accountable.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.
The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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