Maurice L. Burks, Healthcare Fraud Scheme, East St. Louis IL, 2023

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, dropped a bombshell today as he announced that Maurice L. Burks, 44, from East St. Louis, IL, was handed down a six-month sentence for his role in a healthcare fraud scheme.

Burks, who served as his brother’s personal assistant, was nailed on a one-count indictment charging him with bilking the system of $1,016.82. The court also ordered Burks to fork over $100 in special assessment fees and pay back the stolen funds.

The fraudster’s deceitful antics involved billing for hours he never worked while his brother was hospitalized. Instead of using the money meant for assisting those in need, Burks pocketed it all for himself.

Programs like the one implemented in Illinois, which allows Medicaid recipients to select and pay their personal care attendants, are particularly susceptible to such fraud. Often, these attendants are family members or friends, often referred to as ‘ghost employees.’ In this case, payments from the state were divvied up between the recipient and the ghost employee.

The investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Illinois State Police – Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hallock handled the prosecution.

For those who suspect or know about individuals or companies skirting healthcare laws, the local office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General is the place to report. Call 800.447.8477 to make a difference.