Medical Supply Owner Sentenced for Health Care Fraud Scheme
Posted/updated on: September 23, 2011 at 3:46 pm
TYLER – A Tyler man has been sentenced to federal prison for health care fraud violations. Nicodemus Udofia, 51, pleaded guilty in May to health care fraud and illegal remunerations charges. He was sentenced Thursday in Tyler to 12 months and one day in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Udofia was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $50,994.53 to the Medicare program and forfeiture of the proceeds of the fraud scheme.
According to federal authorities, from 2006 to 2008, Udofia, the owner of a medical equipment business in Tyler, submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medical equipment and supplies which were not provided to beneficiaries. As a result of these claims, Udofia unlawfully obtained more than $50,000 from Medicare and Medicaid. Udofia also offered to pay illegal remunerations, or cash kickbacks, in exchange for patient information that he could use to submit claims to Medicare and Medicaid. Udofia was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of last year.
