11 physician fraud suits in March 

Here are 11 fraud suits involving physicians that Becker's reported on in March:

1. Former physician Jeffrey Campbell and nurse practitioner Mark Dyer were sentenced to prison following conviction on committing healthcare fraud, money laundering and unlawfully distributing controlled substances.
2. Matteson, Ill.-based physician Ajibola Ayeni, MD, was ordered to pay more than $25 million for more than 4,000 violations of the False Claims Act. 
3. Gilbert Ghearing, MD, a former physician based in Crossville, Tenn., was found guilty on 45 counts related to the Controlled Substance Act, healthcare fraud and obstruction of justice.
4. Michael Villarroel, MD, a U.S. Navy physician, pleaded guilty to a scheme where he defrauded the Navy by faking or exaggerating injuries to get reimbursements intended to help service members recovering from traumatic injuries. 
5. Margate, N.J.-based Brian Sokalsky, DO, pleaded guilty for his role in a $5 million scheme to defraud payers by submitting claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions. 
6. A Johnson City, Tenn.-based physician and treatment clinic must pay $100,000 to resolve allegations they violated the Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act of 2018 and the FTC Act. 
7. Meridian, Miss.-based physician Gregory Auzenne, MD, pleaded guilty to a federal charge in connection with a $1.5 billion nationwide pain cream fraud scheme.
8. Francisco Ortiz, former COO of Morgantown, W.Va.-based Wedgewood Physicians, and James Mersing, MD, were charged for allegedly stealing $650,000 from the practice. 
9. Justin LaMonda, MD, a physician based in Moberly, Mo., pleaded guilty to a $537,322 fraud scheme, admitting he used his father's name to falsely bill Medicare and Medicaid. 
10. A jury convicted pain physician Frederick Gooding, MD, for a $5 million healthcare fraud scheme.
11. Murrysville, Pa.-based emergency room physician Jessie Kunkel, MD, was charged for writing fraudulent prescriptions.