HOUSTON – An operator and manager at a dental clinic have been charged for their roles in a health care fraud scheme involving $6 million in claims to Medicaid, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Authorities took Ifeanyi Ndubisi Ozoh, 51, Houston, into custody today. He is expected to make his initial appearance tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon at 2 p.m. Also charged is Rene Fernandez Gaviola, 65, also of Houston. He had been previously arrested on similar charges Aug. 1. He is expected to appear on the new charges in the indictment in the near future.
On Aug. 16, a federal grand jury returned the 13-count indictment which was unsealed upon Ozoh’s arrest today.
According to the charges, Gaviola was the operator, while Ozoh was the manager of Floss Family Dental Care clinic located in Houston.
The indictment alleges Gaviola and other employees submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicaid for dental services such as cavity fillings that were never provided as billed. Gaviola and Ozoh also allegedly paid kickbacks to marketers and caregivers of children Medicare insures to bring them to Floss for dental services.