Joshua Petrie, Healthcare Fraud, West Virginia 2015

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – In a shocking case of healthcare corruption, Joshua Petrie, a 36-year-old sales representative from Proctorville, Ohio, has been sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to federal healthcare fraud charges in September 2015. Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto made the announcement. Petrie, a former employee of several out-of-state companies, was paid in part based on his sales, and his ill-gotten gains from the scheme totalled approximately $38,000.

The scam, which ran from 2009 to 2010, involved Petrie creating fraudulent documents to make it appear as though he had provided back and knee braces to patients at a medical practice in West Virginia. The falsified documents included a certification from a physician, which Petrie forged, stating that the physician had ordered the braces for individual Medicare patients. Additionally, Petrie used a copy of the physician’s signature instead of an original signature, further perpetuating the scheme.

As part of the scam, Petrie also created delivery tickets with a signature line for patients to acknowledge receipt of the braces. However, Petrie forged patients’ signatures to make it appear as though they had actually received the braces. The investigation, conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General and the West Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, revealed that Petrie’s actions were part of a larger scheme to defraud Medicare.

The case highlights the ongoing struggle to combat healthcare fraud, with scammers finding increasingly sophisticated ways to bilk the system. In this case, Petrie’s actions were motivated by financial gain, and his sentence serves as a reminder of the severe consequences of engaging in such activities. The sentence was imposed by Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.

The case is a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance in preventing healthcare fraud. As the investigation revealed, Petrie’s actions were part of a larger scheme to defraud Medicare, and his sentence serves as a warning to others who may be considering similar activities.

Petrie’s sentence is a result of his guilty plea in September 2015. As part of his plea agreement, Petrie admitted to working as a sales representative and fitter for several out-of-state companies that sold and distributed back and knee braces from a medical practice in West Virginia between 2009 and 2010.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General and the West Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Bacaj and Meredith George Thomas are handling the prosecution.

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