NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Dec. 14, 2018 - Margaret Fisher, 60, formerly of Nashville, Tennessee, was arrested yesterday by United States Marshals in Williston, North Dakota and charged with four counts of healthcare fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The November 7, 2018 indictment charges Fisher-the former CEO of Fishield Behavioral Medical Services, Inc.-with defrauding Medicare and Medicaid programs by submitting false and fraudulent claims. According to the indictment, Fisher fraudulently represented that Fishield patients received psychotherapy services from a healthcare provider, who neither provided nor supervised the alleged services. As a result of Fisher’s false claims, Medicare and Medicaid sent Fishield reimbursement checks totaling over $1 million. Fisher would endorse the checks by forging or causing the forgery of the healthcare provider’s signature.
If convicted, Fisher faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison on the healthcare fraud charges and an additional mandatory two-year sentence on the aggravated identity theft charges. Additionally, she faces a $250,000 fine on each count. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation and seeks to forfeit any property derived from the criminal activity and any and all property used to facilitate the unlawful activity, if convicted.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Beth Myers is prosecuting the case.
The charges are merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
