FOX5 Vegas - KVVUVegas man sentenced for Medicaid fraud

Vegas man sentenced for Medicaid fraud

A Las Vegas man has been sentenced for Medicaid fraud. 34-year-old DeAngelo Henderson was sentenced Wednesday to 12 to 48 months in prison and ordered to repay $336,000 in restitution, penalties and costs.

The scam involved a company, Golden Heart Medical Supply, run by Henderson.

"Medical providers who submit false claims are using people, the poor, elderly, and children, who are in actual need, as pawns in order to steal taxpayer money," said Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.

"The theft that Henderson facilitated and committed severely compromises the integrity of a necessary health care system and hinders delivery of health services to those in financial and medical need. Medicaid fraud will be punished."

In Jan. 2009, Nevada Medicaid informed the Attorney General's Office that Golden Heart had submitted and been paid an unusually high amount of Medicaid claims.

An investigation showed Golden Heart's purported clients had not received supplies from the company and in fact were clients of other companies. Henderson had submitted false claims to Medicaid claiming Golden Heart provided supplies to nonexistent clients and had received payment.

The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Nevada General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). Anyone who suspects a case of Medicaid fraud is urged to call MFCU at (775)-684-1191.

Copyright 2012 KVVU (KVVU Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.