WLOX-TV and WLOX.com - Building South Mississippi Together |Medicare fraud suspects make court appearance
Member Center:
Associated Press - November 4, 2009 6:24 PM ET
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) - Five people accused of conspiracy to defraud Medicare and Medicaid pleaded innocent Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
The Hattiesburg American reports that two others had their arraignments delayed until next Tuesday.
An indictment alleges Statewide Physical Medicine Group Inc. billed Medicare and Medicaid for more than $39 million in services in Mississippi from 2000 to 2005. The government agencies paid out $18 million. It's not clear how much of that was obtained by allegedly fraudulent billing.
The following suspects pleaded innocent on Wednesday: Theddis Pearson of Houston, Texas; Telandra Jones of Duncanville, Texas; Dr. Cassandra Thomas of Jackson; Alonza Williams of Desoto, Texas and Dr. Colie Crutcher of Meridian.
All were released on $50,000 unsecured bond.
Information from: The Hattiesburg American, http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
NEW Interactive Radar! Track storms on your own!
