MICHIGAN – The owner of a Detroit home health care company admitted he created fake patient files to fool a Medicare auditor and make it appear as though home health services were provided and necessary, officials said.
Mohammed Sadiq, 67, of Oakland County, Michigan, also said he received $12.6 million from the Medicare scheme.
Sadiq plead guilty today before U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood to one count of health care fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 18, officials said.
Ten other individuals have been convicted at trial or pleaded guilty in this case.
According to admissions in his plea agreement, this is what Sadiq told authorities:
- He owned and directed operations at two home health care companies in Detroit.
- Sadiq admitted that, working with co-conspirators, he created and operated the companies for the purpose of billing Medicare for home health services that he knew were not provided.
- Sadiq also admitted to paying kickbacks to patient recruiters in order to obtain the information of Medicare beneficiaries, which he then used to bill Medicare for services that were not medically necessary or were not provided at all.
- Sadiq received money from the fraud through bank accounts that he controlled, withdrew substantial sums for his personal use and failed to report these proceeds on his individual federal income tax return in 2008.
In total, officials said Sadiq admitted that he currently owes approximately $1.5 million in taxes, interest and penalties for tax years 2008 through 2010.