Former Personal Care Aide Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud

           Rose Asang Gana, also known as Rose Nebangu, 40, of Greenbelt, Maryland, pled guilty on Wednesday, to a federal charge of health care fraud stemming from a scheme in which she caused the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program to be defrauded out of more than $400,000.

           The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Washington Field Office, Criminal Division, Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, for the region that includes Washington, D.C., and Daniel W. Lucas, District of Columbia Inspector General.

           Gana pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  The charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties.  Under federal sentencing guidelines, Gana faces a likely range of 18 to 24 months in prison and a fine of up to $40,000.  The plea agreement calls for Gana to pay $441,234.64 in restitution and at least $257,503.31 in a forfeiture money judgment. The Honorable Carl J. Nichols scheduled sentencing for February 5, 2020.

           According to the statement of offense submitted to the Court, Gana worked as a personal care aide for nine home health agencies at various times between October 1, 2013 and December 28, 2018.  The home health agencies employed Gana to assist D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries in performing activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, and eating.  Gana was supposed to document the care she provided to the Medicaid beneficiaries on timesheets and then submit the timesheets to the home health agencies, which would in turn bill Medicaid for the services that she rendered.

           Between October 1, 2013, and December 28, 2018, Gana caused D.C. Medicaid to issue payments totaling $441,234.64 for services that she did not perform or that were tainted by the payment of illegal cash kickbacks to Medicaid beneficiaries in exchange for signing false timesheets.  Gana earned approximately $257,503 in wages from the health care fraud scheme.

           In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Dunham, and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General.  They also expressed appreciation for the work of former Paralegal Specialist Brittany Phillips.  Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi J. Kleinman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise A. Simmonds, who prosecuted the case.