HOUSTON, Texas — Federal authorities have announced charges in 22 cases as part of a crackdown on health care fraud in the Southern District of Texas. The cases involve schemes such as unlawful distribution of controlled substances and Medicare/Medicaid fraud, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
The charges are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 national health care fraud takedown. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei emphasized the importance of protecting Medicare funds, stating, “Americans rely on Medicare for needed treatments and life-saving care. Those that bilk this fund to unlawfully enrich themselves are ultimately stealing from the taxpayer and damaging public confidence in our health system.” Attorney General Pamela Bondi added, “This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers.”
One of the largest cases involves Dera Ogudo, 39, and Victoria Martinez, 35, both of Richmond, who allegedly operated United Palliative & Hospice Company (UPHC) in a $110 million hospice fraud and kickback scheme. The charges claim that UPHC misled elderly adults about services billed to Medicare and Medicaid, enrolling patients in hospice care who were not terminally ill, according to court documents. Ogudo allegedly paid kickbacks to group homeowners and bribed a physician to certify patients as terminally ill. Evelyn Shaw, 52, of Houston, is accused of accepting kickbacks for referrals from a psychiatric hospital…