Ghost Timesheets For Work Never Performed

Vincent Njong, 48, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty to health care fraud on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Njong submitted more than $66,000 in false claims to the District of Columbia Medicaid program while employed as a personal care aide.

Njong will face sentencing on Dec. 6. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. However, under federal sentencing guidelines, Njong faces a possible range of six to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. Njong’s plea agreement requires him to pay over $66,000 in restitution to the District of Columbia. Additionally, Njong is subject to a forfeiture money judgment of over $43,000, representing his share of the proceeds from the scheme.

The statement of offense submitted during the plea hearing confirmed that Njong was a licensed personal care aide. Personal care aides assist Medicaid beneficiaries in carrying out their daily living needs. For example, they may assist beneficiaries in bathing, getting in and out of bed, getting dressed, taking medication, and going to the bathroom.

Kickbacks and False Claims

From September 2012 to April 2014, Njong submitted false claims through two home health care agencies. The claims were then submitted to the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program for personal care services.

However, Njong did not actually provide these personal care services. Moreover, he conspired with various Medicaid beneficiaries to kick back a portion of the Medicaid payment to the beneficiary. For example, Njong paid one of the beneficiaries approximately $100 bi-weekly to sign blank or false statements. Njong also provided the beneficiary with food and other items of value in exchange for the beneficiary’s signature on false timesheets.

Over the course of Njong’s assignment for personal care services to two Medicaid beneficiaries, he submitted false timesheets for work that was not provided. For example, beginning in August 2013, Njong began working as a teacher in Maryland, in a full-time capacity. Despite his full-time employment, Njong continued to submit timesheets to the two home health care agencies, claiming that he also worked full-time for them.

As a result of Njong’s fraudulent conduct, D.C. Medicaid paid over $66,000 to the two home health care agencies. Njong personally received over $43,000 of the fraudulently obtained proceeds.