Michigan home health agency owner Muhammad Aamir has pleaded guilty to his role in a $22 million home health care fraud scheme that saw him and his conspirators bilk Medicare for millions.
According to documents, Aamir, 43, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, admitted to conspiring with others to bill Medicare for home health care services that were not actually rendered, medically necessary, or procured through paying illegal kickbacks. The scheme, which began in 2008 and continued through January 2013, involved Aamir and his conspirators at three home health agencies – Prestige Home Health Services Inc., Platinum Home Health Services Inc., and Empirical Home Health Care Inc. – paying kickbacks to patient recruiters to obtain identifying information of Medicare beneficiaries.
Aamir and others fabricated and falsified medical documents, making it appear that services had been provided and were medically necessary, when in fact they were not. The three home health care agencies then billed Medicare for those services, resulting in the submission of fraudulent claims that caused Medicare to pay more than $22 million. Aamir admitted to submitting or causing the submission of false claims to Medicare, which in turn caused Medicare to pay approximately $15,118,254.
The conspiracy was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI and brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. Aamir pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Bernard A. Friedman to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of filing a false or fraudulent tax statement.
Aamir’s sentencing has been scheduled for January 13, 2015. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force has charged nearly 1,900 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $6 billion. The HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Those looking to learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) can visit the website www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
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Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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