Peoria doctor sentenced to prison for scamming insurances for nearly $4 million
Oct 25, 2024, 6:50 PM | Updated: 8:51 pm
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PHOENIX — A Peoria doctor was sentenced to two years in Tucson prison for health care fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona.
Dr. Linh Cao Nguyen, 51, defrauded health care programs for years including, Medicare, TRICARE, AHCCCS, Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare. Nguyen pleaded guilty to health care fraud on March 19, 2024.
Nguyen knowingly submitted thousands of fake billing claims and forged patient records in order to avoid being caught, according to authorities.
Ngyuen would claim a medical doctor as the treating provider but in reality, another provider such as a nurse practitioner, social worker, unlicensed psychology intern or wound care nurse provided services.
When medical services were billed as if services were provided by a physician, he would then excessively overcharge on the amount to be paid. Nguyen scammed insurances for about $3.7 million and as part of his sentence was ordered to pay over $1.1 million in restitution to select insurance companies, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona.
Nguyen was also ordered to pay more than $2.5 million to the government in a separate civil agreement.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, FBI, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and Defense Criminal Investigative Service completed the investigation in this case.
