A former owner of several pain management clinics in Pennsylvania has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison. Rodney L. Yentzer, 55, was convicted on charges of health care fraud, money laundering, and theft of public money. The sentencing was declared by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Yentzer must also pay $2,993,386.19 in restitution. This amount follows a $900,000 payment he made in 2022 as part of a civil settlement.
Yentzer admitted to defrauding Medicare and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2016 to 2020, according to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus. He pleaded guilty to submitting medically unnecessary urine drug tests for patients at clinics, including Pain Medicine of York (PMY), which he controlled.
"This defendant's only interest was in his own wealth," said Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday. "I commend our federal partners for a comprehensive investigation that culminated in a significant prison sentence."
Between 2014 and 2018, Yentzer assumed control of multiple medical practices. Among these was the original location of PMY and clinics formerly managed by John H. Johnson, who faced multiple charges and prison sentences for related offenses, including accepting kickbacks.
When Johnson was incarcerated, Yentzer continued running PMY offices, implementing practices such as ordering multiple urine drug tests. Despite knowing the practice did not constitute individualized care as required by Medicare, Yentzer continued until PMY's closure in late 2019 after a law enforcement raid.
Medicare paid over $4 million for urine drug tests submitted by PMY from mid-2017 to 2019. Pennsylvania's Medicaid program was also billed similarly. The fraud proceeds were used for personal luxuries, including expensive jewelry and vehicles, benefitting Yentzer and his associates.
Before going to prison, Johnson arranged for his wife, Paula Z. Johnson, to receive a salary from PMY, though she had not actively practiced medicine. Yentzer agreed to various financial arrangements, including leasing vehicles and contributing to college funds for the Johnsons' children, allowing them to benefit financially without government seizure for restitution payments.
PMY shut down in November 2019, unable to retain medical providers after law enforcement actions. Despite this, in April 2020, Yentzer improperly received stimulus funds meant for health care expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic after resigning from PMY.
Florentina Mayko, former CEO of PMY, received a 30-month prison sentence in December 2023 for her involvement in the fraud scheme, with orders to forfeit properties purchased with fraud proceeds. In September 2024, John H. Johnson was additionally sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay further restitution. Paula Z. Johnson was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution and fines.
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