Justice Department's $15 Billion Crackdown Hits 22 Houston Fraud Cases

Yahoo

14 hours ago

(Texas Scorecard) – As part of the U.S. Department of Justice's crackdown on healthcare fraud, more than a dozen individuals from the Houston-area have been charged.
Nationwide, 321 individuals have been charged with multiple healthcare-related crimes, including wire fraud, bribery, and other fraudulent schemes. In total, the DOJ uncovered nearly $15 billion in fraudulent claims, and the United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets in connection with the takedown.
Attorney General Pam Bondi commented on the operation, stating: 'This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers. Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.'
According to the DOJ, 22 cases were announced Monday in Houston alone.
These cases involve a wide array of healthcare fraud schemes, including unlawful distribution of controlled substances—some of which ended up on the black market—along with hospice fraud, kickbacks, and Medicare/Medicaid scams involving unnecessary genetic testing, durable medical equipment, and more.
Among the most notable cases are Dera Ogudo (39) and Victoria Martinez (35), both of Richmond, who are accused of running a hospice facility that billed Medicare and Medicaid for end-of-life care while deceiving patients into believing they were receiving standard palliative or in-home services. Ogudo also allegedly paid bribes and kickbacks to Dr. Carlos Munoz, who certified patients for hospice care. The total fraud scheme is estimated at $110 million, with Munoz allegedly receiving over $300,000.
Keilan Peterson and Kimberly Martinez of Houston have been charged with their alleged roles in a cash-for-prescriptions scheme operating through Relief Medical Center and GroveCare clinics.
According to the indictment, Peterson paid three licensed physicians to give him, Martinez, and other clinic staff access to their electronic prescribing credentials. This allowed them to issue a high volume of prescriptions for controlled substances—including hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and oxycodone—without legitimate medical need.
The indictment further alleges that Peterson funneled a portion of these prescriptions to his own business, Next Level Pharmacy, where he obtained the drugs and redistributed them illegally on the black market. In total, Peterson and his associates are accused of issuing more than two million pills, most of which were dispensed without medical justification and outside accepted professional standards.
Dr. David Jenson, a podiatrist based in The Woodlands, and his business partner, Nestor Rafael Romero Magallanes, were charged with 14 counts of healthcare fraud for allegedly billing Medicare for expensive bioengineered skin grafts intended for chronic wound treatment. The pair allegedly received over $45 million in reimbursements.
Brandy Williams, a Houston pharmacy owner, is accused of paying kickbacks to an unnamed podiatrist in exchange for unnecessary prescription referrals. Her pharmacy reportedly received over $4 million through the scheme.
Tyneza Mitchell, a licensed nurse practitioner, allegedly received $2.1 million in Medicaid reimbursements for COVID-era treatments that were never provided.
Chad Harper of Pearland is accused of using shell companies to pay bribes and kickbacks to marketers who generated business for his laboratories. The indictment claims Harper was reimbursed around $73 million by Medicare.
Rami Abunakira, a Richmond resident involved with a lab in Dallas, is charged with billing Medicare $33.5 million for unnecessary genetic testing.
Mahmood Sami Kahn and Suhaib Ahmad Chaudry, two Houston men charged in Illinois, are accused of masterminding a fraudulent COVID-19 testing operation. The pair allegedly manipulated labs in Texas and Illinois to submit false claims through a federal reimbursement program, receiving over $293 million, which they then laundered through multiple bank accounts. Kahn is also charged with wire fraud.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei responded to the sweeping operation: 'Americans rely on Medicare for needed treatments and life-saving care. Those [who] bilk this fund to unlawfully enrich themselves are ultimately stealing from the taxpayer and damaging public confidence in our health system. Today's takedown is a reminder to would-be medical fraudsters that the Department of Justice is always standing guard over the public fisc.'