FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Jury Convicts Houston Registered Nurse in $8 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
A registered nurse was convicted today by a federal jury in the Southern District of Texas for participating in an $8 million Medicare fraud scheme involving fraudulent claims for home-health services.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Office, Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Houston Regional Office and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
Ann Anyanwu, 53, of Harris County, Texas, was convicted of three counts of a scheme to defraud Medicare following a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett of the Southern District of Texas. Anyanwu is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8, 2016.
According to the evidence presented at trial, from January 2012 through June 2015, Anyanwu and others executed a scheme to submit through Medpsych Home Health Care (Medpsych) approximately $8 million in false and fraudulent claims for home-health services to Medicare. The evidence showed that beneficiaries for whom Medpsych billed Medicare did not receive home-health services, and many did not qualify for home-health services.
In addition, the evidence showed that Anyanwu created false medical records for nursing services – treatment that she never provided – and falsified other records of Medpsych to make it appear as if she provided nursing services when, in fact, she did not.
To date, two others have been charged for their roles in the scheme. Precious Deshield, the former owner, director of nursing and administrator of Medpsych, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud for her role in the scheme. Roland Johnson, the owner and operator of Medpsych, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Deshield and Johnson currently await sentencing before Judge Bennett.
The FBI, HHS-OIG and Texas MFCU investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Texas. Trial Attorneys William S.W. Chang and Scott P. Armstrong of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 2,900 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $8.9 billion. In addition, HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, is taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
Posted: Jul 19, 2016 5:10 AM EST Updated: Jul 19, 2016 1:13 PM EST
By Mary Cate Mannion
By Ryan Trowbridge, Web Content Manager
Three people are without a home after a fire overnight in Easthampton.
One person suffered burns and firefighters had to deal with some brutal conditions.
Easthampton firefighters said that it all started in the first floor bedroom and that one of the residents called them to report the fire.
"There was fire coming out of the windows in the front and out of the side," said Easthampton Fire Chief David Mottor.
Those flames moved quickly through the home, climbed up the side of the home and into the roof, and caused $100,000 in damage.
"Normally in older homes, what we call balloon frames. It runs up the inside walls. This one, the doors were closed, the window failed, and it went right up the siding, melted the siding and went right up to the roof," Mottor explained.
With flames and heavy smoke, one of the residents was treated at the hospital for burns and smoke inhalation.
Eight surrounding towns responded to Easthampton’s call for aide, which the chief said was needed as firefighters faced the heat of the flames, as well as high air temperatures.
"With the humidity, our gear will trap in the heat. That's one of the downsides of providing the protection. When you come outside to change your air bottle, there's no relief from the humidity, so the heat and the humidity takes a toll on the firefighters," Mottor added.
The investigation into what sparked this fire is underway by the state fire marshal's office. At this time, they haven't found a cause, but they have determined that this fire is not suspicious.
The Red Cross is helping those who were displaced by this fire.
Photos of the M/V Horizon Trader taken in March 2013 by tugster Will Van Dorp.
July 19, 2016 by Editorial
By Charlie Goetsch – A United States court has awarded over $1 Million in damages to former Horizon Lines master John Loftus. Captain Loftus filed suit after he was abruptly removed as Master in 2013 due to his reporting of safety violations to the U.S. Coast Guard and its delegated inspection agency, the American Bureau of Shipping.
Under the Seaman’s Protection Act (SPA), merchant marine seamen enjoy the same protection against retaliation that railroad workers enjoy under the Federal Rail Safety Act. But due to the shipping industry’s pervasive culture of retaliation against seamen who report safety hazards to outside enforcement agencies, hardly any SPA cases have been brought. Now comes a landmark million dollar SPA award exposing that culture of intimidation and declaring it no longer will be tolerated.
The case is John Loftus v. Horizon Lines, Inc. and Matson Alaska, Inc. In 2013 Captain Loftus was Master of the Horizon Trader, an 813 foot long container ship operating on the eastern seaboard between New York, Jacksonville, and San Juan Puerto Rico. Despite his 20 year unblemished record as a Captain, in June 2013 he was abruptly removed as Master due to his reporting of safety violations to the U.S. Coast Guard and its delegated inspection agency, the American Bureau of Shipping.
The purpose of the SPA is to augment the Coast Guard’s limited enforcement resources by encouraging seamen to report possible violations of safety regulations. It does so by prohibiting retaliation against seamen who report possible regulatory violations to the USCG or ABS. The world of American Mariners is small and everyone knows everyone else. By removing Loftus as Captain for specious reasons, Horizon sent a chilling message throughout the industry that safety complaints will be punished. John Loftus filed a SPA case not only to clear his name but more importantly to remedy the profoundly unsafe effect of that message.
After a three day trial, United States DOL Administrative Law Judge Jonathan C. Calianos issued a detailed 48 page Decision that is a complete vindication of John’s character as a man and as a Captain. It is a landmark SPA decision that will encourage seamen to report safety violations and discourage management from retaliating when they do.
Judge Calianos found “Captain Loftus was the most safety conscientious Master in the entire Horizon Lines fleet” with “an unusually strong commitment to the safety of his vessel and crew.” But Captain Loftus’s insistence on calling Horizon’s attention to serious safety hazards was met with indifference and inaction. As a result, “Loftus resorted to reporting safety concerns to the regulatory agencies because of Horizon’s consistent failure to correct hazardous conditions aboard the Trader. Loftus was clearly a thorn in Horizon’s side.”
In removing Loftus as Master, the Judge found “Horizon’s conduct was reprehensible” because it engaged in “machinations,” “smoke and mirrors,” and “fabrication” to mask “the real reasons” for its removal of Loftus as Master, “namely to discipline Loftus for his protected activity.” In addition to awarding full back wages and emotional distress, the Judge found such reprehensible conduct required the imposition of punitive damages close to the statutory maximum, explaining:
the need to deter others from engaging in similar conduct is uniquely critical in the SPA whistleblower context given such claims involved public safety, and an adverse action may have a chilling effect on the willingness of other seamen to report a violation. This is especially true considering how small the marine industry is, and how quickly word travels within it. Horizon’s retaliation against Loftus is exceptionally troublesome considering his reputation for being an exemplar of safety, which is exactly what the SPA is designed to promote.
The damages resulting from Horizon’s retaliation totals over $1 million: $655,000 in back wages with a high rate of interest compounded on a daily basis; $225,000 in punitive damages; $10,000 for emotional distress; and over $200,000 in attorney’s fee and expenses.
BRIAN MCBRIDE
Updated 1 hr 21 mins ago A Baltimore police body camera caught a distracted "Pokemon Go" driver crashing into a parked police patrol car.
The incident happened early Monday morning when three officers were standing next to a police cruiser as an SUV approaches, as seen on footage from one of the officers' body cams. Seconds later, the driver swerves, side-swiping the cruiser.
Police then run after the driver, who had stopped further down the block. Moments later, the driver steps out of his car showing the game on his cell phone to the officer.
"That's what I get for playing this dumb a** game," the driver told the officer, in the nearly 90 second video.
No injuries were reported. The driver wasn't identified in the video and police did not say if he was facing any charges.
At a news conference Tuesday, Baltimore Police said the accident could have been worse.
"It's a game, but it's not a game when you're behind the wheel," public information officer T.J. Smith said. "This could have easily, easily been a tragedy."
Smith urged users to be careful and stay vigilant. The warnings come after several incidents related to the popular mobile app have been reported across the country.
Fresno Firefighters battle 3 alarm fire in Central Fresno
Firefighters battled a three alarm fire at an apartment complex near Millbrook and Dakota in Central Fresno. (KFSN)
Tuesday, July 19, 2016 11:48PM
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire at an apartment complex near Millbrook and Dakota in Central Fresno.
The flames broke out around 9:30 Tuesday night and it quickly went to the third alarm.
Firefighters reported that a small explosion ripped off the roof of one of the units.
Crews were able to get the fire under control and no injuries were reported and in all, three units were damaged and 14 people were displaced by the fire.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation but damages are estimated at costing over $400,000.
At the same time, Fresno firefighters responded to another apartment fire in Northwest Fresno on Fairmont near Shaw and Marks.
That fire is now under control and no injuries are reported there.
