Portland’s counseling world is under a harsh spotlight after the Oregon Department of Justice rolled out criminal charges and guilty pleas in three separate Multnomah County Medicaid cases this week. A Portland counseling business and two therapists are at the center of the prosecutions, which officials say range from fraudulent billing to personal perks allegedly tied to Medicaid-funded care. The state’s Medicaid Fraud Unit led the investigations and says the cases are part of a broader push to safeguard Oregon Health Plan money for low-income and vulnerable patients.
What prosecutors allege
According to KGW, prosecutors say Roberto Felipe Munoz and his business, Munoz Counseling LLC, submitted Medicaid claims to CareOregon between March and Aug. 15, 2025, seeking payments they were not entitled to receive. Munoz is charged with 18 felony counts, including making false claims for health care payment, aggravated theft and aggravated identity theft.
KGW reports that therapist Zoe Thiele-Seidenberg pleaded guilty on Feb. 24 to two felony counts of making false claims. As part of that case, she surrendered her therapy license and received a sentence that includes a short jail term, probation and community service.
In a separate case, KGW also notes that therapist Haley Sanchez pleaded guilty on Feb. 25 to first-degree theft and making a false claim. Prosecutors say she used her position to issue gift cards to herself and others. Sanchez was sentenced to jail and probation and was ordered to pay restitution.
DOJ context
The Oregon Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Unit says these Multnomah County prosecutions are part of its ongoing effort to crack down on provider misconduct and keep Medicaid funds where they belong: paying for patient care. Over the past decade, the unit has secured more than 250 criminal convictions and recovered over $90 million in Medicaid-related cases, according to the Oregon DOJ…