Zachary T. Lee Acting United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
Three former employees of 1st Adult N Pediatric Healthcare, including the director of nursing, pleaded guilty in federal court to healthcare fraud and related charges. The case involves a scheme to submit false claims to Medicaid for services that were not provided.
Shekita Gore, also known as Shekita Steele, from Clinton, Maryland, and Eno Utuk from Stafford, Virginia, admitted guilt to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Each faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced. Elizabeth Ilome, also from Stafford, Virginia, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and could receive up to three years in prison.
Previously, Carolyn Bryant-Taylor of Clinton, Maryland; Kafomdi “Josephine” Okocha; and Samuel Okocha of Upper Marlboro, Maryland had also pleaded guilty in connection with the same scheme.
Court documents state that Bryant-Taylor, Josephine Okocha, and Samuel Okocha owned and operated 1st Adult N Pediatric Healthcare Service. The agency was enrolled in Medicaid and provided home health services across Virginia. Gore served as director of nursing while Utuk and Ilome worked as care providers.
The defendants conspired to bill Medicaid for services not rendered by falsifying records and documentation. Gore admitted she filled out blank nursing notes supporting claims for unprovided services billed to Medicaid.
Between 2017 and 2023, Bryant-Taylor and Josephine Okocha arranged payments to parents or guardians of patients in exchange for blank signed nursing notes. These notes were later used to support fraudulent billing. The amounts billed often reflected either nonexistent or excessive nursing services.
Utuk and Ilome admitted paying cash to family members of patients they cared for in return for signed blank nursing notes. These were then used to bill Medicaid for skilled nursing or personal care that was not actually delivered.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia; Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Farina of the FBI’s Richmond Division announced the pleas.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Jones and Laura Taylor along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Terry are prosecuting the case.
