Oakland County, Mich.-based podiatrist Kenneth Mitchell, DPM, was convicted for his role in a $1.8 million healthcare fraud scheme after billing Medicare under another physician's name, the U.S. Justice Department said Sept. 16.
His privileges to participate in Medicare were revoked in 2015. Dr. Mitchell then convinced his partner to enroll in Medicare and open a new clinic, Urban Health Care Group, where he continued to bill Medicare for services using his partner's name.
Even when Medicare suspended payments to the clinic after discovering the scheme, he continued to submit false statements using his partner's name.
Dr. Mitchell was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud, three counts of healthcare fraud, one count of falsification of records in a federal investigation, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, 10 years for healthcare fraud, 20 years for falsification of records, and two years for aggravated identity theft.