FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2007 WWW.USDOJ.GOV CRM (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON An Ohio physician has pleaded guilty before District Judge John R. Adams to conspiring to engage in a scheme to defraud Medicare and other health care benefit programs, U.S. Attorney Gregory A. White for the Northern District of Ohio and Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today.
Mohammed Aiti, 53, of Canton, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy for his involvement in a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and other health care benefit programs by causing cardiology tests that were not medically necessary to be administered to patients. Aiti admitted that this scheme lasted from October 1998 to September 2006 and included performing medically unnecessary nuclear stress tests that involved injecting nuclear medicine into patients. Tests were also ordered based on whether insurance would agree to pay for a test and not based on medical need or symptoms. During the conspiracy, Mohammed Aiti received at least $1.8 million in reimbursement for medically unnecessary tests he administered or caused to be administered.
As part of his guilty plea, Aiti agreed to give up his medical license, to forfeit more than $1.8 million, and to be permanently excluded from participation in all federal health care programs. Aiti faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been set for Jan. 10, 2008. This prosecution was initiated by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, in Cleveland. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief John Kelly, and Trial Attorneys James Graham and Hans Miller of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section. 07-845
Source: US Department of Justice
