Minga Gets 6.5 Years for $16M Medicare Scam

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Phillip Minga, 56, of Amory, Mississippi, is headed to federal prison after a federal judge slammed him with a 78-month sentence today for a brazen healthcare fraud scheme. Minga orchestrated a years-long conspiracy to bilk Medicare out of over $16 million, despite being explicitly barred from participating in the program.

U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Derrick Jackson, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), announced the sentencing. Chief U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler delivered the punishment after Minga pleaded guilty in August to four counts of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The court didn’t just stop at prison time; Minga was also ordered to forfeit a staggering $7.1 million and repay more than $16.1 million in restitution.

“By continuing to own or manage pharmacies in Alabama and Mississippi that accepted Medicare patients, Minga did exactly what he agreed not to do,” Escalona stated bluntly. “Medicare may exclude persons and companies that it believes do not meet the program’s high standards. Today’s sentence demonstrates that fraudulently evading an exclusion from Medicare is a serious offense with serious criminal penalties.” Minga had signed an agreement on October 17, 2016, agreeing to a 10-year exclusion from the Medicare Program. He ignored it.

The scam unfolded from 2016 to 2021. Minga, despite the exclusion agreement which stipulated Medicare would not reimburse claims linked to his involvement, continued to pull the strings at pharmacies, submitting claims for payment. He meticulously concealed his ownership and managerial roles, instructing others to omit his name from Medicare enrollment and revalidation paperwork. This deliberate deception allowed the pharmacies to receive approximately $16,109,446.67 from Medicare during that period.

“Being a healthcare professional in the Medicare program is a privilege, not a right,” warned Special Agent in Charge Jackson of the HHS-OIG Atlanta Regional Office. “When an excluded healthcare provider knowingly disregards restrictions and bills federal health care programs, they divert funds intended to provide care and services for our country’s most vulnerable population.” Jackson emphasized that the sentencing should serve as a warning to others contemplating similar schemes.

The investigation was led by HHS-OIG, with the prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lloyd Peeples, Ryan Rummage, and Don Long. This case is a clear signal: attempting to game the Medicare system, especially after being explicitly barred, will result in significant federal penalties. The Grimy Times will continue to track this case and other instances of healthcare fraud across the nation.