Robert J. "Bob" Troester U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma
Three individuals from the Lawton area have been sentenced for participating in a health care fraud scheme, according to U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. Jimmie Mathews, 41, Nathan Mathews, 42, and Amber Delger, 55, will collectively serve more than 12 years in federal prison and have been ordered to pay nearly $2.7 million in restitution.
The charges against them stem from activities starting in 2016 involving two massage therapy businesses, Emerald Lane Therapy Services and Stars & Stripes Therapy, both located in Lawton. Emerald Lane operated by Nathan Mathews and later co-owned by Delger, along with Jimmie and Nathan Mathews' Stars & Stripes Therapy, were accused of falsely billing TRICARE, a healthcare program for military personnel, veterans, and their families.
According to court documents, the defendants conspired to file fraudulent claims for services that were never provided. They allegedly scheduled multiple future appointments for TRICARE beneficiaries and billed for these services even if the appointments were missed or canceled. Furthermore, Emerald Lane improperly used an occupational therapist's National Provider Identity number to bill TRICARE after the therapist left the company. Collectively, the businesses billed over $7 million and received nearly $3 million in reimbursements.
Jimmie and Nathan Mathews pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in October 2024, following Delger's guilty plea in June of the same year. U.S. Attorney Troester emphasized the exploitative nature of their conduct, saying, "Through their fraudulent conduct, these defendants exploited programs intended to provide critical benefits to our nation’s military, veterans, and their families."
Chad Gosch, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, underscored the commitment to safeguarding TRICARE from fraud. “These sentencings demonstrate our tireless pursuit to investigate individuals that seek to enrich themselves at the expense of this valuable program,” Gosch stated.
U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Nathan Mathews to 87 months in prison and ordered him to pay over $1.4 million in restitution, followed by two years of supervised release. Jimmie Mathews received a 42-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release, and must pay over $632,000 in restitution. Delger was previously sentenced to 26 months in prison, with two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $653,000 in restitution. Describing the scheme, Judge Dishman stated it was "egregious and far-reaching in its scope, duration, and impact" and emphasized that health care fraud "will not be tolerated."
This case resulted from an investigation conducted by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck. Further details regarding the case can be found in public court filings.
