Nev. U.S. Attorney: Las Vegas Woman Sentenced to Prison for $1 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, May 3 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada issued the following news release on May 1, 2024:

A Las Vegas woman, Henrietta Binford, 54, was sentenced Monday to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,250,223.39 in restitution for defrauding the State of Nevada Medicaid healthcare benefit program by falsely billing for services not provided. United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey presided over the sentencing hearing. Binford had previously plead guilty in November 2023 to one count of Health Care Fraud.

According to court documents and admissions Binford made in court, from January 2017 to August 2017, she devised and executed a scheme to defraud the State of Nevada Medicaid ("Nevada Medicaid"). In connection with Binford's application to enroll her company Shepherd's Heart Services, as a medical provider, she did not disclose her criminal history, including prior misdemeanor and felony convictions. As a result of her false statements on the application, Shepherd's Heart Services was enrolled in Nevada Medicaid. As part of her scheme, Binford submitted false bills to Nevada Medicaid for services, including counseling services and training, not rendered. In total, Nevada Medicaid paid Shepherd's Heart Services in excess of $1,000,000 for services not provided to patients.

"Through her misrepresentations and fraudulent deeds, the defendant bilked over $1,000,000 from Nevada Medicaid," said United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. "Due to the diligent investigative and prosecutorial work by our partners and Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the defendant was brought to justice and will be held accountable for her crimes, along with others who seek to exploit health care programs for their own financial gain."

"Nevada Medicaid is a critical health insurance program for eligible members of our community, providing access to medical care that would otherwise be unobtainable," said Carissa Messick, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Phoenix Field Office. "IRS Criminal Investigation is dedicated to investigating anyone attempting to defraud this program and those who rely on it."

"My office will always defend against efforts to defraud Nevada Medicaid. Attempts to game the system or con Nevada Medicaid for services are particularly despicable as this program allows members of our community to access health care that would otherwise be inaccessible," said Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford.

IRS Criminal Investigation and the Nevada Attorney General's Office, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Washburne and Steven W. Myhre prosecuted the case.

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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/las-vegas-woman-sentenced-prison-1-million-medicaid-fraud-scheme