Clarksville doctor sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for Medicare fraud
A Clarksville doctor has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for Medicare fraud.
On Friday, Samson K. Orusa, 61, was sentenced for billing Medicare $ 1,885,245 for unnecessary and overbilled office visits, according to an announcement from United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Orusa was charged in 2018 with 45 criminal violations, including 13 counts of health care fraud. During his trial, evidence showed that he required Medicare beneficiaries and other patients to visit his clinic as many as six times a month and undergo unnecessary steroid injections.
He was convicted on all but nine counts of illegal distribution of oxycodone.
“Combating health care fraud is a top priority for this office,” said Leventis. “As a result of the excellent work done in this case by our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, this physician will now be serving seven years in federal prison for defrauding the Medicare program.”
Along with 84 months in prison, Orusa was ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution and serve three years of supervised release. He was also fined $195,000 and must forfeit previously seized assets worth approximately $900,000.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Clarksville Police Department; and the 19th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie N. Toussaint and Miller A. Bushong prosecuted this case.
Reporter Kenya Anderson can be reached at kanderson@nashvill.gannett.com or on Twitter at KenyaAnderson32.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Clarksville doctor sentenced to 7 years for Medicare fraud
