Lakehurst Nurse Charged In $1.65M Medicare Fraud Conspiracy

TRENTON, NJ — An nurse from Lakehurst is accused of issuing prescriptions and taking kickbacks as part of a conspiracy that federal authorities say defrauded Medicare and Medicaid of about $1.65 million.

Ashlee Maixner, 39, an advanced practice nurse, has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, solicit and receive kickbacks, offer and pay kickbacks, unlawfully distribute controlled substances, and two counts of soliciting and receiving a kickback in the scheme, federal authorities said.

The charges were announced as part of the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown that resulted in charges against 455 people, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death, the Justice Department said.

Maixner is accused of issuing prescriptions — including ones for controlled substances — to people based on short text message interactions with them and without assessing them, authorities said.

Maixner received kickbacks and bribes in cash for her role in the conspiracy, which included the doctor who owned the medical practice where she worked and the owner of a pharmacy, authorities said. Neither of the co-conspirators was named, and the indictment did not name the medical practice or the pharmacy.

The indictment against her said Maixner took information provided to her by the doctor regarding patients covered by Medicare or Medicaid and issued prescriptions that were not medically necessary.

The prescriptions were then sent to the pharmacy, which submitted claims to Medicare or Medicaid, and gave Maixner and the doctor kickbacks from the claim money they received, according to the indictment.

The total claims were about $3 million, with Medicare and Medicaid paying Pharmacy A more than $1.65 million, according to the indictment.

The overall fraud investigation included cooperation among federal, state, and international authorities, with cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating.

"The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctors' offices to corporate boardrooms," the Justice Department said.