2 business partners indicted for allegedly defrauding Arizona’s Medicaid program of $9.4M

PHOENIX — Two business partners were recently indicted for allegedly attempting to defraud Arizona’s Medicaid program of over $9.4 million through their company.

Kenneth Harrison, 44, and Courtney Haywood, 38, both of Las Vegas, Nevada, face 30 felony counts related to their Arizona-based company Aurtism, LLC, which billed the funds in less than two years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

The pair are accused of committing conspiracy, health care fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

The indictment alleges that Harrison and Haywood billed the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System’s American Indian Health Program for mental health services purportedly provided to impoverished Native Americans during 2020 and 2021.

On top of overbilling some Aurtism patients, the pair is accused of billing patients that the company never treated, including people in residential facilities, prison or jail, or those who were already dead.

The indictment further alleges that Harrison used $2.7 million on residential real estate, $763,000 for luxury cars and almost $1 million on travel and retail purchases. Haywood allegedly spent $3.4 million on cars, real estate, travel and retail purchases.

If convicted, the pair could face a maximum sentence of five years for the conspiracy, 10 years for health care fraud and money laundering and two years for aggravated identity theft

The FBI investigated the case with help from the IRS Criminal Investigation.

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