WASHINGTON—The owner of a Houston health care company pleaded guilty today in connection with a Medicare fraud scheme involving durable medical equipment (DME), announced the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Akinsunbo Akinbile, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison in Houston to eight counts of health care fraud.
Akinbile admitted that he was the owner and operator of Hallco Medical Supply, a company that purported to provide DME to Medicare beneficiaries. According to court documents, Hallco submitted claims to Medicare for DME, including orthotic devices, that were medically unnecessary and/or never provided. Many of the orthotic devices were components of “arthritis kits,” and purported to be for the treatment of arthritis-related conditions. The arthritis kits generally contained a number of devices including braces for both sides of the body and related accessories such as heat pads. In total, from June 2007 through May 2009, Hallco submitted approximately $737,770 in fraudulent claims to Medicare.
At sentencing, scheduled for Feb. 15, 2012, Akinbile faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
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