A surgeon and family practitioner from Columbus, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to allowing his office manager to treat patients, according to a Columbus Dispatch news report.
A federal prosecutor said between Jan. 2006 and March 2009 Charles C. Njoku, MD, allowed Veronica Scott-Guiler, who does not have a medical degree, to examine and treat patient at the medical facility where he practiced on Tuesdays and when he was out of town. Additionally, Dr. Njoku admitted to illegally distributing controlled substances by pre-signing prescription pads and allowing Ms. Scott-Guiler to fill out prescriptions before giving them to patients while he was away, according to the report.
The activity caused fraudulent claims totaling more than $130,000 to be submitted to Medicaid and Medicare, according to the report.
Dates for sentencing have not yet been set.
Read the Columbus Dispatch news report about Dr. Charles Njoku's guilty plea.
Read other coverage about physician fraud:
- Illinois Cardiologist Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Fraud
- Michigan Podiatrist Accused of Filing Fraudulent Claims
- New York Surgeon Charged With Bilking $3.5M From Healthcare Insurance Companies
A federal prosecutor said between Jan. 2006 and March 2009 Charles C. Njoku, MD, allowed Veronica Scott-Guiler, who does not have a medical degree, to examine and treat patient at the medical facility where he practiced on Tuesdays and when he was out of town. Additionally, Dr. Njoku admitted to illegally distributing controlled substances by pre-signing prescription pads and allowing Ms. Scott-Guiler to fill out prescriptions before giving them to patients while he was away, according to the report.
The activity caused fraudulent claims totaling more than $130,000 to be submitted to Medicaid and Medicare, according to the report.
Dates for sentencing have not yet been set.
Read the Columbus Dispatch news report about Dr. Charles Njoku's guilty plea.
Read other coverage about physician fraud:
- Illinois Cardiologist Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Fraud
- Michigan Podiatrist Accused of Filing Fraudulent Claims
- New York Surgeon Charged With Bilking $3.5M From Healthcare Insurance Companies