Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
A Lorain County physician has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for his involvement in a scheme that sought to fraudulently bill Medicare for over $14.5 million. Timothy Sutton, 44, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, received a 64-month sentence from U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz after pleading guilty in April 2025 to charges including conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, making false statements related to healthcare matters, and aggravated identity theft. In addition to the prison term, Sutton was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay nearly $6 million in restitution to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“Mr. Sutton deliberately lied about performing patient examinations and then used his role as a trusted medical professional to line his pockets at the expense of taxpayers. We will not tolerate those who utilize their positions of authority to defraud Medicare, or any government agency,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “Thanks to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Cleveland FBI’s thorough investigations, we have put a stop to this rampant fraud and abuse of power.”
Court documents revealed that Sutton exploited his position as a licensed physician by submitting claims for patients who did not require medical treatment. Employed by two telemedicine companies based in Florida, he approved pre-completed orders for durable medical equipment such as braces and cancer genetic testing without examining patients through telemedicine platforms as claimed. He also falsely stated he was the treating physician for certain genetic tests.
Federal investigators determined that Sutton had not examined any patients whose orders he signed.
“Violating a position of trust and abusing the privilege of serving as a healthcare provider by willfully defrauding the government and other entities for personal gain is cruel and calculating,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen. “When funds from programs like Medicare are not used as intended, taxpayers and people who are entitled to those funds suffer. The FBI will continue its commitment to work with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate criminals like Mr. Sutton and ensure that federally funded healthcare programs are not abused by providers.”
After Sutton authorized prescriptions or testing through these telemedicine companies, orders were forwarded or sold to other businesses involved in the conspiracy.
“When a physician knowingly violates their oath and exploits patients for personal financial gain, it erodes the very foundation of trust in our health care system,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to safeguard taxpayer dollars and ensure that those who abuse these vital programs are held accountable.”
The investigation was conducted by HHS-OIG along with the FBI Cleveland Division. Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Collyer prosecuted the case.
To report suspected healthcare fraud or service abuse, individuals can file complaints at oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud.
