Doctor admits to fraud involving more than 2,000 patients in Missouri

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A doctor admitted in federal court on Wednesday that he certified products and tests for thousands of Medicare and Medicaid patients in Missouri whom he never met.

Oluwatobi Alabi Yerokun, 36, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements related to health care matters.

Yerokun certified unnecessary medical products and genetic tests for more than 2,000 Medicare and Medicaid patients in Missouri, U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said in a news release.

Working as a telemedicine provider, Yerokun signed forms and certified that durable medical equipment or genetic tests were medically necessary. Yerokun had no doctor-patient relationship with any of the beneficiaries.

Those orders were used to submit claims to Medicare and Medicaid, which paid submitted by the durable medical equipment companies and testing laboratories, prosecutors said.

He ordered durable medical equipment and genetic tests for 2,184 Medicare beneficiaries between March 2019 and April 2021 and was paid a total of $44,860.

The scheme caused Medicare to pay companies almost $3.1 million and Medicaid to pay companies almost $525,000.

Yerokun faces up to five years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not been scheduled.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com