Houston Crime: Man found guilty for role in $6 million bribery scheme

HOUSTON - A federal jury has found 54-year-old Ifeanyi Ozoh guilty on charges of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, as well as two counts of payment of kickbacks to marketers.

U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced the verdict following a three-day trial, where the jury deliberated for an hour before reaching a unanimous decision.

Ozoh, who had been employed at Floss Family Dentalcare Center from January 2020 to February 2021, was accused of paying marketers between $20 and $100 for each Medicaid-insured child referred to the clinic.

The prosecution presented evidence that Ozoh discreetly distributed these illegal kickback payments in cash, often placing them on top of a vending machine away from prying eyes.

During the trial, the jury heard testimonials from marketers who claimed to have received payments from Ozoh, while a clinic manager testified that she had repeatedly warned him about the illegality of such actions. In total, Ozoh allegedly disbursed over $163,000 in bribes to marketers and received bonuses for meeting patient quotas.

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The Floss Family Dentalcare Center billed Medicaid over $6 million between 2020 and 2021, of which over $4 million was received, largely based on kickbacks paid to marketers and for dental services that were never rendered.

A representative testified that Medicaid explicitly prohibits the payment of kickbacks for referrals of medical services. The defense attempted to argue that Ozoh was unaware of the illegality of his actions, portraying him as a mere "handyman." However, the jury dismissed these claims, holding Ozoh accountable for his actions.

Ozoh faces a potential maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Crime and Public Safety Houston