BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Former St. Gabriel Health Clinic CEO has been sentenced to 82 months in federal prison following the conviction of a Medicaid fraud scheme on Thursday, Jan. 19.
According to U.S. Attorney Ronald Gathe, Jr., Victor Kirk, 73, was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Kirk, who worked in Iberville schools offering medical services, fraudulently billed those Iberville Parish elementary and high schools to Medicaid as group psychotherapy. Evidence shows that Kirk falsely diagnosed students with serious medical disorders, beginning in 2011 until 2015, causing over $1.8 million in fraudulent claims for alleged group psychotherapy.
“It is especially egregious to commit fraud on the backs of children, and all to fund a lifestyle Kirk did not earn or deserve,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The damage Kirk inflicted on these kids is immeasurable and may follow them for years. Patient harm is a top priority of HHS/OIG and we will work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue those who perpetrate it.”
United States District Judge Brian Jackson sentenced Kirk to 82 months in federal prison, to serve three years of supervised release, and to pay restitution in the amount of $1,841,527.31 to the Louisiana Medicaid program.
Source: Health clinic CEO sentenced for Medicaid fraud / brproud