A Phoenix The court sentenced woman to 14 years in prison in connection with her role in fraudulently billing Arizona’s Medicaid agency more than $69 million in less than one year for addiction treatment therapy. Many of the patients the defendant used to fuel her scheme were Native Americans covered by Arizona Medicaid under a specific program that reimbursed at higher rates than other Medicaid programs. In addition to the prison sentence, the defendant was ordered to pay almost $55 million in restitution.
Key details of the case
To forfeit almost $9.5 million in fraud proceeds seized from seven bank accounts she controlled and almost $7 million in real estate properties. . “The Fraud Division is determined to hold accountable individuals who exploit the Medicaid system and Native American health care programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division.
Moreover, “This sentence sends a clear message. If you take advantage of vulnerable populations to steal from the American taxpayer, you will pay the price.” . Anagho’s scheme manipulated a program that was intended to help Native Americans in Arizona,” said U.S.
Meanwhile, attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “The fourteen-year sentence that she received is a sign of how serious and damaging health care fraud is to our society. How important it is that we stop individuals who undermine the value of these programs.”.
Enforcement actions and official statements
“The FBI will investigate and hold those who target, defraud. Exploit our healthcare programs accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Phoenix Field Office “We will continue to work with our partners to stop imposters like Ms. Anagho in their tracks and bring them to justice.”.
As a result, “Medicaid funds exist to support some of our nation’s most vulnerable individuals. Exploiting this program for personal gain steals taxpayer dollars and undermines a critical safety net relied on by millions,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. For complete details, refer to the official DOJ press release.
Consequently, department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who defraud Medicaid and ensure they are held fully accountable.”. According to court documents, Rita Ntusa Anagho, 54, of San Tan Valley, Arizona, owned and operated Tusa Integrated Clinic, LLC (Tusa), an addiction treatment center that fraudulently billed the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) over $69 million from approximately May 2022 through March 2023.
AHCCCS paid Tusa approximately $54.9 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. Anagho, a licensed nurse practitioner, coordinated and carried out this massive health care fraud scheme by exploiting vulnerable substance abuse treatment patients. Anagho enrolled patients whose health care coverage was provided by the AHCCCS in her fraudulent clinic, Tusa. For related coverage, see Trade Sanctions on Israeli Settlements Announced by 12 Nations Including UK, France, Canada.
Specifically, indeed, Anagho and her co-conspirators deliberately targeted AHCCCS patients who were covered under the American Indian Health Care Program (AIHP) fee-for-service plan available to Native Americans. Anagho and her co-conspirators often deliberately sought such patients because the AIHP provided higher reimbursement rates than other AHCCCS health care plans. Anagho orchestrated this scheme to defraud AHCCCS by submitting false claims for purported addiction treatment services that were either not provided at all or not provided as billed.
Subsequently, in addition, Anagho and her co-conspirators paid illegal kickbacks to owners of numerous area sober homes for patients who were referred to her clinic. Anagho and others falsified the treatment notes and records related to the purported addiction treatment services to conceal the scheme. Anagho then laundered the proceeds of her fraud and obstructed the investigation of her crimes by instructing her former employees to create fake medical records when Tusa received a subpoena for documents. For related coverage, see EU sanctions against Russia: 21st package expands banking, crypto and oil restrictions.
At the same time, in May 2025, Anagho pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud. . On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people.
The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007.
In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.