Criminal Investigative Updates

Darryl Lamont Young and Aqeelah Ngiesha Williams, both of Seattle, Washington, were convicted on a combined total of 26 counts of fraud, including conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft for their scheme to target seriously ill veterans. While incarcerated, Young used the jail phone system to call local VA Medical Centers and impersonate a VA employee to obtain patient information, including names, emergency contacts, and phone numbers. Young and Williams would place three-way calls to the veteran or their emergency contacts and request credit or debit card information to deposit COVID-19 stimulus checks into the veteran’s bank account. Once they had the credit or debit card information, they would use it to deposit funds into Young’s inmate commissary and jail call accounts. They targeted more than 30 VA and non-VA medical facilities and more than 60 victims. They obtained about $8,300 from the scheme. The VA OIG and the US Secret Service investigated this case.

Barbara Ferrell of Seth, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. Ferrell admitted to stealing approximately $160,000 in VA and Social Security benefits by abusing her position as a fiduciary for a family member. This case was investigated by the VA OIG and the Social Security Administration OIG. 

James D. Sommers, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was indicted with one count each of healthcare fraud, false statements, and aggravated identity theft. According to the charging documents, beginning as early as 1994, Sommers has falsely impersonated a US Army veteran. It is alleged that Sommers used the victim’s stolen identity to obtain thousands of dollars in Social Security benefits and nearly $30,000 in medical care and medications from VA medical centers. This case was investigated by the VA OIG. 

Progressive Oncology & Hematology, LLC (Progressive), an oncology practice offering chemotherapy services in Frederick, Maryland, and its owner, Mouhamad Bazzi, MD, agreed to pay the United States $1.45 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act. Progressive and Bazzi knowingly submitted claims to VA, Medicare, and Medicaid for reimbursement for drugs that the defendants did not pay for. Specifically, the government alleges Progressive and Bazzi submitted claims for reimbursement for drugs that came from charitable organizations or through grant programs at no expense to the defendants. The government further alleges Progressive and Bazzi directed that wastage from single-use vials of drugs intended for one patient be split across two or more patients. This case was investigated by the VA OIG and Health and Human Services OIG.

Heriberto L. Rivera, CEO of Family Integrative Medicine of Orlando, LLC (FIMO) in Lake County, Florida, was charged with conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. He paid a VA employee about $175,000 to direct VA patients to FIMO, resulting in roughly $14 million in claims submitted to the VA, with nearly $12 million paid. The VA OIG and FBI investigated the case.