TALLAHASSEE, FL — Dr. Moses de-Graft Johnson, 47, a dual citizen of the United States and Ghana, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for committing health care fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The Tallahassee-based physician exploited his medical license to bilk health insurance providers out of $29 million while endangering the lives of vulnerable patients across the region.
Court documents show Johnson spent nearly four years — from early 2016 to his arrest in February 2020 — performing hundreds of medically unnecessary and invasive surgical procedures on unsuspecting patients. He built a network of influence by targeting churches, nursing homes, a hospital, and a community outreach organization to funnel victims into his sham practice. These surgeries weren’t just reckless — they were criminal, leaving patients with scars, complications, and falsified medical histories.
Johnson didn’t stop at surgery. He falsified patient records to reflect procedures he never performed, creating a dangerous paper trail that could mislead future doctors and compromise long-term care. The fraudulent documentation was part of a broader scheme to maximize insurance payouts, with Johnson submitting false claims that totaled $28,423,846. His actions didn’t just violate federal law — they betrayed the oath of every legitimate physician.
‘This physician compromised the health and safety of his patients in favor of illegal profit,’ said Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. ‘His acts not only violated the law, but the trust of his patients.’ Coody emphasized that federal prosecutors remain committed to rooting out fraud that drains taxpayer-funded programs and inflates health care costs for all Americans.
The case drew condemnation from federal investigators. ‘It’s disturbing that a physician would be so driven by greed and indifferent to the well-being of his patients,’ said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. ‘We will hold accountable individuals who perpetrate such egregious fraud and violate their oaths as physicians and Medicare providers.’
In addition to his seven-year sentence, Johnson was ordered to forfeit luxury assets across the U.S. and overseas — including high-end vehicles, jewelry, and properties in Manhattan, Southampton (NY), Miami, and Houston. He must also pay $28,423,846 in restitution. The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Grogan and resulted from a sweeping interagency investigation involving the FBI, HHS-OIG, ATF, IRS, Homeland Security Investigations, Commerce Department, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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