Ifeanyi Ozoh, a Nigerian man, was sentenced to six years in prison for a $6M healthcare kickback scheme. Ozoh paid bribes to marketers and parents to refer Medicaid-insured children to a fraudulent dental clinic, resulting in over $4 million in Medicaid claims. He was also ordered to pay restitution.
Ifeanyi Ozoh, a 54-year-old Nigerian man, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison after being convicted for his involvement in a $6 million healthcare kickback scheme. The case, which was pursued by federal authorities, culminated in a verdict delivered by a jury in February 2024, following a three-day trial. On November 13, 2024, U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane imposed the sentence, along with an order for Ozoh to pay $4.9 million in restitution to Medicaid.
Ozoh, who worked at Floss Family Dentalcare Center from January 2020 to February 2021, was found guilty of paying marketers to refer Medicaid-insured children to the clinic. The jury learned that Ozoh bribed marketers with cash payments ranging from $20 to $100 per referral, often in secretive exchanges. Over $163,000 was paid out in bribes, and the clinic billed Medicaid for over $6 million during the period, receiving more than $4 million in reimbursement for fraudulent claims related to unprovided dental services.
The court highlighted the overwhelming evidence presented at trial, noting that Ozoh played a central role in the illegal scheme, which violated Medicaid's anti-kickback provisions. The sentencing was the result of a thorough investigation by the FBI, the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
Ozoh remains free on bond and will surrender to prison authorities shortly.
