Columbus, Ohio – In a shocking turn of events, 67-year-old JoAnna M. Ochieng, a Columbus resident, pleaded guilty to one count each of income tax evasion, conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering in U.S. District Court on today.
According to court documents, Ochieng owned Healthy Solutions Home Health Services, a home health care company that provided nursing and home health services to Medicaid recipients and their families. Since 2003, Healthy Solutions has operated out of six locations, including Columbus, Bexley, Washington Courthouse and Hillsboro, Ohio.
Between November 2011 and March 2013, Ochieng conspired with others employed at Healthy Solution to defraud the Ohio Medicaid program by making false statements in connection with the delivery of, and payment for, health care benefits by means of fraudulent representations.
The scheme involved instructing parents who were providing home health care services to their children to “swap” time sheets with other parents who were also providing home health care services to their children. This would give the false appearance that parents were providing home health services to children other than their own.
In addition, in order to maximize the amount of reimbursement paid by the Medicaid Program, Ochieng and other co-conspirators working at Healthy Solutions instructed Healthy Solution nurses to submit Skilled Nursing Visit Notes that falsely reflected the hours nurses were providing home health services.
The fraudulent claims submitted by Healthy Solutions, under the direction of Ochieng, resulted in a loss to the Medicaid Program of $436,305.69. Funds received by Ochieng and Healthy Solutions as part of the health care fraud scheme were deposited into a local bank account and comingled with other income from Medicaid.
JoAnna M. Ochieng will face up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering, and up to 5 years for income tax evasion. In addition, Ochieng agreed to forfeit $1 million held in a trust account in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Ochieng’s crimes occurred between 2003 and 2013, resulting in a total loss to the Medicaid Program of $436,305.69. During 2012 and 2013, Healthy Solutions received payments from the Medicaid Program for nursing and home health services totaling $6,037,659.76 and $3,056,866.23, respectively.
Ochieng willfully failed to file income tax returns and pay taxes on those proceeds for the 2012 and 2013 income tax years, resulting in a tax loss of $274,205.55.
In February 2013 and March 2013, as part of her plan to evade the payment of income taxes, Ochieng electronically transferred $600,000 and $410,000, respectively, to an account in a nominee name in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Related Federal Cases
- American Base No. 1 Fined $4.8M for Medicaid Fraud, New York NY, 2023 · Washington
- Community Options Inc, Medicaid Fraud, New York NY, 2023 · Ohio
- James Gibson, Access Device Fraud, Ohio 2012 · Florida
- Joseph J. Beccia, Mortgage Fraud Scheme, Ohio 2023 · Indiana
- Eric V. Bartoli, Securities Fraud, Ohio 2003 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Healthcare Fraud|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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