Recruiter Sentenced To Prison For Role In $3.6 Million Fraud

HOUSTON, TX — A 52-year-old woman has been sentenced to nine years in prison for her role in a $3.6 million Medicare fraud scheme. Mercy Ainabe, who worked for Texas Tender Care, was found guilty of selling Medicare patients' personal info to home health care companies in exchange for kickbacks, the FBI tweeted. Ainabe was found guilty May 2, the Department of Justice wrote in a news release.

Ainabe and her co-conspirators submitted claims to Medicare for home health services that were not medically necessary and/or were not provided, according to evidence presented at the trial, the DOJ added. Ainabe paid beneficiaries, doctors, physical therapy companies, and others for the paperwork, Medicare beneficiary information, and services needed to facilitate the fraud, prosecutors claimed.

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