Gwinnett Couple Sentenced in $1.4M Medicaid Fraud Case

A Gwinnett County couple pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud, but will avoid prison time, the Georgia Attorney General’s Office announced.

Olufemi Afuape and Oluyemisi Afuape, both of Lilburn, pleaded guilty to single counts of Medicaid fraud and conspiracy to defraud the state in a scheme that submitted $1.4 million in fraudulent claims, the office said in a news release.

Oluyemisi Afuape, the wife, was sentenced to three years house arrest. Olufemi Afuape was sentenced to three years work release at the Gwinnett Detention Center, followed by 12 years of probation.

They were ordered to pay $1,407,325.50 in restitution to the Georgia Department of Community Health.

The attorney general’s office said:

Oluyemisi Afuape was a physical therapist enrolled in the Georgia Medicaid program. Together, she and her husband, Olufemi Afuape, opened a business called Zion Rehab Services. In order to attract low income children into the program, they advertised free day care and free summer camp programs under a ruse they called “Give Mom a Break.” Recruiting patients into a program or a medical practice of any kind is not permitted in Georgia Medicaid.

Once the children were enrolled, the Afuapes billed the children’s Medicaid numbers for physical, occupational and speech therapy without regard to whether the services were medically necessary and without regard to whether the services were actually delivered. Children genuinely in need of therapy did not receive services and children who did not require therapy services nevertheless had their Medicaid numbers billed for therapy on a daily basis. Using this scheme, the Afuapes submitted fraudulent claims to the Medicaid program over a period of years and were paid $1.4 million.

“The Afuapes shamelessly took advantage of low income families to scam Georgia Medicaid and line their own pockets,” Attorney General Sam Olens said in the news release. “My office is devoted to weeding out Medicaid fraud and holding those accountable who choose to exploit Georgia Medicaid dollars.”