Redondo Beach resident Tamara Yvonne Motley, a.k.a. “Tamara Ogembe,” has been convicted of masterminding a brazen $24 million Medicare scam. The scheme revolved around billing the federal healthcare program for bogus medical equipment and repairs, preying on a system designed to help those in need. Motley, who operated under the guise of legitimate medical supply companies, systematically defrauded Medicare over an eight-year period.
Motley owned Action Medical Equipment and Supplies in Hawthorne and Kaja Medical Equipment & Supply in Ventura. To avoid scrutiny, she registered both companies using the identities of out-of-state relatives – a clear attempt to conceal her involvement. She paid kickbacks to unscrupulous marketers who fed her a steady stream of patients, who were then steered toward doctors willing to sign off on unnecessary prescriptions for items like power wheelchairs.
The scam wasn’t static. When Medicare tightened reimbursement rules for power wheelchairs in 2011, making direct sales less profitable, Motley simply shifted gears. Action Medical Equipment began heavily billing for repairs and maintenance on those same wheelchairs, a cynical attempt to keep the fraudulent cash flowing. After Action was shut down, she simply opened Kaja Medical and continued the same illegal operation.
The numbers are staggering. Between 2015 and 2023, Action Medical Equipment submitted over $18.2 million in claims, receiving over $10.3 million from Medicare. Kaja Medical Equipment followed suit, billing $6.3 million and receiving roughly $2.8 million. The bulk of these claims were for power wheelchair repairs, many of which were either never performed or were medically unjustified. This isn’t just about money; it’s about stolen resources that could have gone to legitimate healthcare for those who truly needed it.
Motley now sits in federal custody awaiting sentencing on October 3rd. She faces up to 10 years in prison for each of the 20 healthcare fraud counts, a mandatory two years for the two counts of aggravated identity theft, and up to 20 years for the conspiracy to commit money laundering. The feds aren’t stopping with Motley. Cynthia Karina Marquez, an office manager for both companies, already pleaded guilty to false statements and received a time-served sentence plus three years of supervised release and restitution.
Federal prosecutors are still pursuing other individuals involved in the scheme. This case serves as a stark reminder that healthcare fraud is a serious crime with real consequences. The feds are determined to crack down on those who exploit the Medicare system for personal gain, and Motley’s conviction sends a clear message: you will be caught, and you will pay the price. The investigation was a collaborative effort between multiple federal agencies, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation in combating complex financial crimes.
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