PUBLIC SAFETY

Carmel woman ordered to pay back more than $700k for Medicaid fraud

Justin L. Mack
justin.mack@Indystar.com

A Carmel woman who unlawfully received more than $700,000 in Medicaid payments has been ordered to pay back the money and spend three years on probation.

Khadijah Shareef, 54, was sentenced on federal charges of Medicaid fraud, U.S. Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced Tuesday.

A news release from Minkler’s office states that Shareef submitted enrollment applications to Indiana Medicaid for two businesses while barred from all federal health care programs.

“When an ineligible provider engages in fraud to wrongly bill Medicaid for millions of dollars, it is a violation of the public trust and demonstrates contempt for the taxpayers,” Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller said in a statement.

Court documents state that in October 2002, Shareef, under the name of Khadijah Mohammed, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit medicare fraud in the northern district of Georgia. Following her sentencing, Shareef was excluded from participation in the Medicare, Medicaid, and all health care programs for a minimum of seven years.

Shareef never appealed her exclusion and never requested reinstatement making her unable to participate in federal health care programs, including Medicaid.

In September 2008, Shareef submitted enrollment applications to Indiana Medicaid for both Indiana Home Health Inc. and Indiana Personal Care, court documents state. Both applications were completed by Shareef and falsely listed her sister as the owner and operator of both businesses.

The companies then submitted claims to Indiana Medicaid for reimbursement of services provided.

In October 2013, search warrant was executed at the business location of Indiana Home Health Inc. and Indiana Personal Care. After a review of the submitted Medicaid claims from 2008 through April of 2012, the investigation determined Shareef unlawfully received $720,358.08.

Shareef was sentenced to three years on probation and ordered to make restitution in the full amount of the payments received.

Call Star reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.