HOUSTON – A federal jury needed just 15 minutes of deliberation to convict a Richmond man of paying and receiving healthcare kickbacks in a scheme to defraud Medicare.
Patrick Osemwengie’s trial lasted two days at the Bob Casey US Federal Court in downtown Houston. Osemwengiea, a healthcare marketer, was convicted of a one-count conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks.
“Healthcare peddlers like Osemwengie prey on the elderly and are part of the larger healthcare fraud problem,” said Alamdar Hamdani, US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. “Illegal kickbacks and related crimes damage Medicare’s ability to help those that truly need it. We will continue to prosecute these individuals and work to preserve the system designed to protect and insure our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.”
The jury heard from witnesses from Ebra Home Health who testified Osemwengie would sell them Medicare patients. He charged $500, a kickback for an initial home health certification and a $250 kickback for recertification.
Medicare prohibits payment of kickbacks for home health services.
The jury also heard from an elderly Medicare beneficiary who explained how Osemwengie paid him money to sign up for home healthcare companies, including Ebra Home Health. He testified he could not get home healthcare when he needed it because of the past fraudulent billings Osemwengie helped facilitate.
Evidence revealed Osemwengie received $13,000 in kickback payments from Ebra Health Care Services.
The defense said Osemwengie was being paid $50 an hour for passing out flyers and was not taking kickbacks.
US District Judge Sim Lake presided over the trial and has set sentencing for July 7. Osemwengie faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Osemwengie is free on bond while he awaits sentencing.