U.S.-based Nigerian nurse sentenced to 14 years over $69 million Medicaid fraud

A United States court has sentenced nurse practitioner Rita Anagho to 14 years in prison for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar Medicaid fraud scheme through her Arizona addiction treatment clinic.

According to Peoples Gazette, the 54-year-old owner of Tusa Integrated Clinic fraudulently billed the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System more than $69 million between May 2022 and March 2023. Authorities said the Medicaid programme paid the clinic about $54.9 million on fraudulent claims.

The court also ordered Anagho to pay $55 million in restitution. Authorities seized $9.5 million from seven bank accounts linked to her, while she forfeited nearly $7 million in real estate to the U.S. government.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Anagho targeted vulnerable substance-abuse patients, particularly Native Americans enrolled in the American Indian Health Care Programme, because their coverage offered higher reimbursement rates for addiction treatment services.

Prosecutors said Anagho and her co-conspirators paid illegal kickbacks to owners of sober homes for referring patients to Tusa. The clinic then billed Medicaid for services that were not provided or exaggerated services to secure larger reimbursements.

Authorities also accused Anagho of attempting to conceal the scheme after Tusa received a subpoena. She allegedly instructed former employees to create fake medical records to support fraudulent claims.

U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said the scheme exploited a programme intended to assist Native Americans in Arizona, adding that the sentence reflected the seriousness and damaging impact of health care fraud.

The sentencing followed a federal investigation into fraudulent billing and kickback arrangements activities.