Home health manager sent to prison for $21M Medicare fraud scheme

HOUSTON, TX -- The last convicted in a large-scale multi-year home health fraud conspiracy has been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Felix Amos, 72, Houston, pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2018, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen ordered him to serve 30 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay $21,197,440 in restitution.

On March 22, a jury returned guilty verdicts against Fausat Adekunle, 39, Richmond, on 10 counts following a four-day jury trial. Judge Hanen later ordered her to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She muct also pay restitution of $21,197,440.14.

Oluyemisi Amos (the wife of Felix Amos), 41, Houston, previously pleaded guilty and later received a sentence of 72 months in prison.

At Adekunle’s trial, the jury heard that the Amos couple owned and operated five home health companies from 2010 to 2015. They included Dayton Health Bridges, Access Practical Solutions, Advanced Holisitic, GetUpandWalk Inc. and Guarranty Home Health Agency. Adekunle served as the office manager. Evidence and testimony revealed how the three conspired to submit claims to Medicare for home health services for patients that did not need services or did not receive services.

In addition, physicians did not order these services for the beneficiaries. Once the Amoses took over one of the companies, there was a dramatic increase in the billing for services. Authorities would place restrictions on them after noticing the high-volume billings, but not before Medicare had paid out millions in fraudulent claims.

At trial, the defense conceded the nature and scope of the health care fraud but argued Adekunle was not aware of the scheme.

However, the jury heard Adekunle was the signor on the Guarranty Home Health Agency bank account and used funds from the account to pay for her business, Gideon’s Boutique, and for the purchase of a Land Rover Range Rover vehicle.

Furthermore, billing emails showed how many of the claims Adekunle submitted were for Medicare beneficiaries who were dead for over three years or incarcerated in prison. Home health cannot be provided to such individuals.

Ultimately, the jury was not convinced of defense claims and found her guilty as charged.

Felix Amos owned Dayton Health Bridges, and Advanced Holistic Healthcare Services. He, along with Oluyemisi, paid physicians to certify Medicare beneficiaries for home health services they either did not provide or for which they did not qualify. Felix used the money to purchase a $3.5 million house in Houston and two other properties.

Felix Amos was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

IRS - Criminal Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, Secret Service and Texas Attorney General’s - Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the joint investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Abdul Farukhi prosecuted the case.