Los Angeles, CA fugitive sentenced for Medicare fraud
March 26th, 2010 - 1:57 am ICT by BNO NewsLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) – A Los Angeles, CA man was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for a $1 million power wheelchair fraud scheme, prosecutors announced on Thursday.
Leonard Nwafor, 44, will also have to pay $526,243 in restitution, to forfeit $526,000 and a to pay a fine of $25,000. He is the owner and operator of a Los Angeles-area durable medical equipment (DME) company.
Nwafor was convicted in September 2008 of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud. After conviction, he fled and is considered a fugitive.
Pacific City group Inc., Nwafor’s business, submitted over a million dollars in fraudulent claims to Medicare. As a result he received $526,243 from Medicare. The claims submitted to Medicare were for expensive, high-end power wheelchairs and wheelchair accessories that were not needed by the beneficiaries.
Nwafor recruited beneficiaries that didn’t need a wheelchair. He also used names of L.A. physicians on prescriptions he used to support his claims to Medicare. Nwafor’s co-defendant, Ajibola Sadquir, had pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
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