National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action Results In 193 Defendants Charged And Over $2.75 Billion In False Claims

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Today, U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III announced criminal charges against six defendants in connection with alleged schemes to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Worker's Compensation Program, Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation ("DOL-DEEOIC"). The charges filed in federal court are part of the Justice Department's 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. The charges stem from the submission, or causing the submission, of fraudulent claims for home health services that were not actually rendered.

The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Hamilton are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that, in the aggregate, resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings.

The DOJ Health Care Fraud Unit's National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District to Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and State Attorney Generals' Offices for Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit's Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today's enforcement action are available on the Department's website at Case Descriptions.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, in particular, worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and the Tennessee Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

In the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Caleb Mullins, 40, Megan Mullins, 37, both of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and CAMM Care, LLC doing business as Patriot Homecare ("CAMM Care"), were charged by indictment in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud the DOL-DEEOIC. DOL-DEEOIC administers the health care benefit program designed to compensate current or former Department of Energy employees, vendors, contractors, and subcontractors diagnosed with occupational illnesses causally linked to toxic exposures during their employment. Among other health care benefits, this program provides home health benefits to qualifying beneficiaries, including skilled nursing care and non-skilled care. As alleged in the indictment, Caleb Mullins, the owner and President of CAMM Care, and Megan Mullins, the Executive Vice President of CAMM Care, conspired with each other and others not named in the indictment to create and submit fraudulent payment claims for homecare services that were not actually rendered.

Samantha Seiber ("Seiber"), 35, of Wartburg, Tennessee, Apryl Hard ("Hard"), 46, of Louisville, Tennessee, and Lois Hamby ("Hamby"), 62, of Oliver Springs, Tennessee, were also charged in separate indictments with defrauding the DOL-DEEOIC. As alleged in the respective indictments, Seiber, Hard, and Hamby each had her own DOL-DEEOIC provider number, and each billed the DOL-DEEOIC for skilled nursing services that were not actually rendered.

The cases in the Eastern District of Tennessee are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William A. Roach, Jr., and Jeremy S. Dykes of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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