A Nigerian man Ayodeji Temitayo Fatunmbi, 47 was sentenced to 46 months in prison on Monday August 19,2019 for his role in a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme in which more than $8 million was fraudulently billed to Medicare for DME that was not medically necessary.
He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder of the Central District of California, who also ordered him to pay $1,076,893.15 in restitution. Fatunmbi pleaded guilty on May 8, 2019 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Fatunmbi was charged along with Olufunke Ibiyemi Fadojutimi, 47, of Carson, California, and Maritza Elizabeth Velasquez, 44, of Las Vegas, Nevada.
As part of his guilty plea, Fatunmbi admitted that he and others paid cash kickbacks to patient recruiters and physicians for fraudulent prescriptions for DME such as power wheelchairs, which the Medicare beneficiaries did not have a legitimate medical need. Fatunmbi and co-conspirators caused Lutemi Medical Supply (Lutemi), a DME supply company that he co-ran, to submit approximately $8.3 million in claims to Medicare, which resulted in the company being paid over $3.5 million.
Fatunmbi further admitted that he was responsible for $2,090,434 in false and fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary DME and that as a result of his conduct, Medicare paid Lutemi a total of $1,076,893. In furtherance of this scheme, Fatunmbi and a co-conspirator wrote checks from Lutemi’s bank account to Lutemi employees and others, and Fatunmbi instructed that those monies be returned to him to pay the illegal cash kickbacks to the patient recruiters and doctors, he admitted. Fatummbi admittedly directed others at Lutemi to engage in these tranactions to conceal the nature and source of the proceeds of the health care fraud conspiracy.
Velasquez pleaded guilty on July 24, 2013, to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and was sentenced to 15 months in prison and restitution in the amount of $3,411,428. Fadojutimi was found guilty after a jury trial on July 31, 2014, of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, seven counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering, and was sentenced to four years in prison and restitution in the amount of $4,372,466.
Velasquez pleaded guilty on July 24, 2013, to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and was sentenced to 15 months in prison and restitution in the amount of $3,411,428. Fadojutimi was found guilty after a jury trial on July 31, 2014, of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, seven counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering, and was sentenced to four years in prison and restitution in the amount of $4,372,466.
From justice.gov
Not to food for us honest Nigerian now.Things are just as bad as they used to be
ReplyDeleteSeason of arrest, sentence and jail. Imagine the money involved here. Am I still a Nigerian? I doubt.
ReplyDeleteMs A , where are you.
ReplyDeleteYou've been conspicuously missing from all of todays fraud posts.
I dont know why some people just choose to do fraud. Giving everyone 8bad name. Once you say you're Nigerian people look at you different.
Not cool.
And for all the people hailing Yahoo boys, na turn by turn. E go still reach your side. Just be patient
Mrs A we know that you are one commenting under anon. stop asking after yourself.
Delete4 years CANNOT reset their brains
ReplyDeleteNigerians always fall for this. Lots of medical professionals are now ex convicts with no license to practice. How can you go their country go thief, the thieving is for them by them and with them. FBI na local crooks full dia!!! Just stop thinking you can get away with it!!!
ReplyDeleteNow a man from the west, una wehdone.
ReplyDeleteKwatinue denying leggit people opportunities.
Crimes cut across all tribes but my worries is that, it usually affect both the innocent ones. Again, I frown when some people make it look as if there tribe is corrupt free. When Evans was caught, I remember the insult genuine wealthy Igbo young men received online. Today, Wadume has been arrested and he came from a tribe too different from Evans but the media isn't what it was during the arrest of Evans. No tribe is exonerated from fraud but why it seems the culprits from the East are much among the numbers is cos they are often the majority in most of the countries overseas and have this thirst for quick riches which often led them to crimes. I don't pity for any of them one bit. Whoever commit crime, should face the law.
DeleteEwoooo Chinedu did you have to go this far? The amount involved dikwa brain bursting...
ReplyDeleteHahahaha ... I got you right. But that's what it is.
DeleteThis Medicaid/Medicare fraud is becoming something else. A lot of Africans have been sent to Prison for being greedy. They always overbill because they think they cannot get caught.
ReplyDeleteSadly enough, its just a matter of time. Worst part is, they still make you pay restitution. When you get out, You are a felon. A convict who cannot even vote in some states. Not worth it at all but greed has clouded their senses.
It is very easy to make money legitimately in US compared to Nigeria. Why are people insatiable?
ReplyDeleteThe same "very easy" way the money leaves your hand then you broke back
DeleteYou find out that most of these criminals are doing this to get enough money to oppress their peers. No investment. Just spending millions on cars. Nail him to the cross.
ReplyDelete2 million likes dear.
DeleteI no want even talk w examples here in the E. Coast make them no say I be snitchy. Flori, DMV, ATL, then go reach up yonder NY & Tor. Hmmmmmm. U Know, these Yankee pipo dey read blogs, yes they do!! Make I be kwayet.
Good for him. 4 years too short sef.
ReplyDelete4 years for what? Forty years, please!
ReplyDeleteSad part is all these their unscrupulous acts make it difficult for honest Nigerians to have a chance at getting visas now. Its really hard and sad now to get a visa to the united states. Especially if you went to birth there before even if you paid your bills. I wonder if those they have denied will ever be given visas again and what will happent o children who are already citizens by birth but whose parents don't now have visas to go there
ReplyDeleteHow these sort of ppl even get visas in the first place, with all the scrutiny involved, is what I wonder at. Then u'll see honest ones turned down at some of these embassies.
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