FORMER HOME HEALTH CARE OPERATOR SETTLES FRAUD ALLEGATIONS OF BILLING FEDERAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS FOR SERVICES PERFORMED BY UNLICENSED FOREIGN DOCTORS

DETROIT - United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today that Irene Oluwatoyin Oshiyoye has agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that she violated the False Claims Act by defrauding the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

The United States contended that Irene Oshiyoye, together with her late husband, Dr. Adekunle Oshiyoye, formerly operated Advance Visiting Physicians, P.C. ("Advance Visiting Physicians"), which provided home health care services to patients in Southeast Michigan from its offices in Farmington Hills. The civil settlement resolves allegations that from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2021, Irene Oshiyoye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims by Advance Visiting Physicians to Medicare and Medicaid for home health visits performed by unlicensed and unsupervised foreign doctors, in violation of Medicare and Medicaid rules.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement or judgment. The qui tam case is captioned United States and the State of Michigan ex rel. Telusnor v. Advance Visiting Physicians, P.C., et al., Case No. 2:20-cv-12602 (E.D. Mich.). The settlement amount and payment structure were based on Irene Oshiyoye's ability to pay.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Michigan Attorney General Health Care Fraud Division. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Gentner from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan handled this matter for the United States.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government's emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.