Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has landed a staggering $1,407,493.23 judgment against Dr. Richard Akoto, M.D., and his practice, Richard O. Akoto, M.D. PC, located in Takoma Park, Maryland. The court found that Dr. Akoto submitted false claims to Medicare by misusing auricular stimulation devices.
Dr. Akoto, who treated patients for pain using a P-Stim device, was accused of fraudulently billing Medicare for complex neurosurgical procedures from January 17, 2019, to May 1, 2019. He is alleged to have used a code for an implantable neurostimulator, which he falsely represented as being surgically implanted by surgeons.
“Dr. Akoto’s actions were nothing short of unconscionable,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes. “He not only wasted taxpayer dollars but also undermined the integrity of our healthcare system.”
Hayes emphasized that the U.S. Attorney’s office is dedicated to eliminating fraud and abuse in federal health care programs. Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) echoed this sentiment, stating that accurate billing for Medicare services is a requirement for all healthcare providers.
“The HHS-OIG will continue to scrutinize and pursue inaccuracies related to P-Stim and similar devices,” Dixon added. U.S. Attorney Hayes also commended the hard work of Thomas F. Corcoran, Chief of the USAO-MD Civil Division, and Investigator Ann Thiel for their role in this investigation.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and its efforts to combat fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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