GALLUP, New Mexico —
Currently, charges are pending against almost 200 individuals nationwide on allegations of cheating government health care programs out of billions of dollars.
A few of individuals accused have ties to sober living facilities that are the subject of an Arizonan investigation. It is believed that those establishments are taking in Native Americans from New Mexico with the promise of therapy, but they are not offering any assistance.
Many told tales of being solicited by strangers offering them better lives.
“I went because they indicated they could assist me in finding employment and with the recuperation process. One individual, who wished to remain anonymous, remarked, “I just wanted to go down there to start somewhere new.”
“On a few occasions. Ashley Thompson remarked, “It seemed like they were always trying to talk me into going.”
193 individuals nationwide are facing charges from the Justice Department for allegedly receiving $2.75 billion through fraudulent health care claims.
The mistrial in the death of Karen Read’s Boston police boyfriend is caused by the jury’s impasse.
FBI Executive Assistant Director Tim Langan stated, “Those accused today set up sham sober homes and fed people with drugs and alcohol while billing our health care systems for millions of dollars for services not rendered.”
Rita Anagho of Tusa Integrated Clinic is accused by the authorities of participating in a $66 million billing fraud in Arizona, wherein she submitted claims to Medicaid for services that were never rendered.
SEE MORE –
Miraculous Rescue: Missing 4-Year-Old Survives Night in Southern California Wilderness
According to investigators, Adam Mutwol and Daud Koleosho, the operators of Community Hope Wellness Center, orchestrated a $57 million scheme to refer patients to treatment facilities in return for bribes and kickbacks.
According to Andrea Palm, deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “the schemes they perpetrated specifically targeted vulnerable Native Americans by establishing phony sober living homes that claimed to provide addiction treatment and other support.”
The Gallup Police Department and the police departments on the Navajo Nation were involved in part of the inquiry.
“This was brought to our attention by talking with people who are in a vulnerable state on our streets,” Gallup Police Department Chief Erin Toadlena-Pablo said. “Arizona really stepped up and really tried to get these fraudulent insurance claims for the Native American people being done in Arizona.”
At least thirty cases of missing persons from the Gallup area connected to Arizonan institutions were being looked into by the department. Numerous ones were discovered or came back on their own.
“There are some cases that are really sad, we got them cleared, but they were found deceased out in Arizona,” said Toadlena-Pablo.
According to the chief, there are always individuals who want to take advantage of others who are poor.
Toadlena-Pablo declared, “Anyone who is missing is really important.” “We want to remove the stigma associated with reporting someone after waiting a certain number of days or hours. Everyone needs time: law enforcement, families, and those who are searching and helping. Therefore, I urge you to notify them if you do know of someone who is missing.”