FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Medical Supply Company Officer and Southern California Physician Sentenced for $1.5 Million Medicare Fraud
A former officer of Fendih Medical Supply Inc. was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison yesterday in Los Angeles for his role in a fraud scheme that resulted in $1.5 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare. In addition, a physician was sentenced to 27 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. of the Central District of California, Special Agent in Charge Glenn R. Ferry of the Los Angeles Region of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Director in Charge Bill L. Lewis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
Godwin Onyeabor, 49, of San Bernandino, Calif., was sentenced on Sept. 9, 2013, by U.S. District Judge Manuel L. Real in the Central District of California to 51 months in prison. In addition to his prison term, Onyeabor was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Dr. Sri J. Wijegunaratne, 58, of Anaheim, Calif., was sentenced to 27 months in prison by Judge Real. In addition to his prison term, Wijegunaratne was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $87,846.
On April 24, 2013, a jury in Los Angeles federal court found Wijegunaratne, Onyeabor and Heidi Morishita, 48, guilty of one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. In addition, Wijegunaratne and Onyeabor were found guilty of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Wijegunaratne was found guilty of seven counts of health care fraud, and Onyeabor was found guilty of eleven counts of health care fraud.
During trial, the evidence showed that Onyeabor, as the former officer of a durable medical equipment (DME) supply company, fraudulently billed more than $1 million to Medicare for DME that was either never provided to its Medicare beneficiaries or was not medically necessary. Wijegunaratne provided Onyeabor and others with medically unnecessary power wheelchair prescriptions, and both Wijegunaratne and Morishita sold power wheelchair prescriptions to Onyeabor and others.
The evidence showed that Onyeabor and others paid Wijegunaratne and Morishita cash kickbacks for fraudulent prescriptions for DME, and Onyeabor and others used these prescriptions to bill Medicare for the power wheelchairs and other DME. Several Medicare beneficiaries testified that they were lured to medical clinics with the promise of free items such as vitamins and juice, only to receive power wheelchairs which they did not need and did not want, and were unsuccessful in their attempts to reject delivery of the power wheelchairs from Onyeabor’s supply company.
As a result of this fraud scheme, Onyeabor, Wijegunaratne and others submitted and caused the submission of approximately $1.5 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and received almost $1 million on those claims.
Morishita’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 30, 2013.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Los Angeles Region of the HHS-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Benton Curtis, Trial Attorneys Fred Medick and Alexander Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,500 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER'S REMARKS ON 9-11 ANNIVERSARY
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Department of Justice Ceremony Commemorating the Twelfth Anniversary of September 11, 2001
~ Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Good morning – and thank you all for being here.
It is an honor to join so many friends and colleagues for today’s observance – as we mark the twelfth anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attacks ever carried out against the United States; remember the nearly 3,000 innocent people whose lives were lost; and pay tribute to the 72 brave law enforcement officers who were called, on that beautiful autumn morning, to make the ultimate sacrifice.
The events of September 11th, 2001, transformed our entire nation – and touched each of our lives. I know many of you experienced the human cost of these attacks in a deeply personal, and painful, way.
Especially this morning – here at the Department of Justice – as we lift up the memories of those who were taken from us so suddenly, we must also renew our shared commitment to the uniquely American values that have always defined this great nation – and must guide this Department’s work every single day.
This is the only fitting legacy we can build for the innocent victims of that terrible morning – the public servants and military personnel who lost their lives at the Pentagon; the workers who were struck down in their offices at the World Trade Center; the heroic passengers who brought down a hijacked airliner in a field in Pennsylvania; and so many first responders and ordinary citizens who ran toward burning buildings – and saved countless lives – as so many others were racing away.
We pay tribute to each of them, and to many others who have given their lives in the service of their country since 9/11 – from the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who have fought on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan; to patriots like Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith, and Ambassador Chris Stevens, who were taken from us just one year ago, in Libya.
Their valor reminds us of the quiet power of compassion. And their inspiring stories, and selfless actions, reaffirm the fact that this annual observance has always been about much more than the pain that was inflicted – and the buildings that were destroyed – twelve years ago today.
It’s about the extraordinary life that binds us together. It’s about the work that remains before us as we strive to make this nation not only safer – but stronger and more just – in the face of evolving global threats.
Most importantly, it’s about the commitment of Americans across the country who gather every year on this day – driven by both remembrance and resolve. Determined to honor the memories of those taken from us. And inspired by the heroism, the patriotism, and the bravery that shone through the smoke and wreckage of September 11th.
It was at 8:46 AM that morning that the first airliner crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. In remembrance of all who were lost in that moment, and in the hours that followed, I ask you to join me in a moment of silence.
Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Department of Justice Ceremony Commemorating the Twelfth Anniversary of September 11, 2001
~ Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Good morning – and thank you all for being here.
It is an honor to join so many friends and colleagues for today’s observance – as we mark the twelfth anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attacks ever carried out against the United States; remember the nearly 3,000 innocent people whose lives were lost; and pay tribute to the 72 brave law enforcement officers who were called, on that beautiful autumn morning, to make the ultimate sacrifice.
The events of September 11th, 2001, transformed our entire nation – and touched each of our lives. I know many of you experienced the human cost of these attacks in a deeply personal, and painful, way.
Especially this morning – here at the Department of Justice – as we lift up the memories of those who were taken from us so suddenly, we must also renew our shared commitment to the uniquely American values that have always defined this great nation – and must guide this Department’s work every single day.
This is the only fitting legacy we can build for the innocent victims of that terrible morning – the public servants and military personnel who lost their lives at the Pentagon; the workers who were struck down in their offices at the World Trade Center; the heroic passengers who brought down a hijacked airliner in a field in Pennsylvania; and so many first responders and ordinary citizens who ran toward burning buildings – and saved countless lives – as so many others were racing away.
We pay tribute to each of them, and to many others who have given their lives in the service of their country since 9/11 – from the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who have fought on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan; to patriots like Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith, and Ambassador Chris Stevens, who were taken from us just one year ago, in Libya.
Their valor reminds us of the quiet power of compassion. And their inspiring stories, and selfless actions, reaffirm the fact that this annual observance has always been about much more than the pain that was inflicted – and the buildings that were destroyed – twelve years ago today.
It’s about the extraordinary life that binds us together. It’s about the work that remains before us as we strive to make this nation not only safer – but stronger and more just – in the face of evolving global threats.
Most importantly, it’s about the commitment of Americans across the country who gather every year on this day – driven by both remembrance and resolve. Determined to honor the memories of those taken from us. And inspired by the heroism, the patriotism, and the bravery that shone through the smoke and wreckage of September 11th.
It was at 8:46 AM that morning that the first airliner crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. In remembrance of all who were lost in that moment, and in the hours that followed, I ask you to join me in a moment of silence.
USDA WORKS TO REDUCE SUGAR SURPLUS, MAINTAIN PRICES
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
USDA Announces Third Exchange Actions to Address the Domestic Sugar Surplus
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2013 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is offering to exchange its recently acquired sugar inventory for credits held by refiners holding licenses under the Refined Sugar Re-export Program. This exchange offer will be administered in a similar manner as the exchange portion of the sugar actions announced by news release on June 17, 2013, and July 23, 2013.
USDA is taking this action based upon the success of the earlier actions that removed 345,712 metric tons of import supply in exchange for 106,742 metric tons of CCC inventory. The earlier actions have resulted in U.S. raw sugar prices approaching Congressionally-mandated sugar price support levels. The purchase of credits held by refiners holding licenses under the Refined Sugar Re-export Program is preferable at this time to other available inventory management options because it minimizes the cost of the sugar program. This exchange will reduce the sugar surplus by more than the CCC sugar exchanged, which will reduce the incidence of future CCC sugar loan collateral forfeitures.
USDA Announces Third Exchange Actions to Address the Domestic Sugar Surplus
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2013 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is offering to exchange its recently acquired sugar inventory for credits held by refiners holding licenses under the Refined Sugar Re-export Program. This exchange offer will be administered in a similar manner as the exchange portion of the sugar actions announced by news release on June 17, 2013, and July 23, 2013.
USDA is taking this action based upon the success of the earlier actions that removed 345,712 metric tons of import supply in exchange for 106,742 metric tons of CCC inventory. The earlier actions have resulted in U.S. raw sugar prices approaching Congressionally-mandated sugar price support levels. The purchase of credits held by refiners holding licenses under the Refined Sugar Re-export Program is preferable at this time to other available inventory management options because it minimizes the cost of the sugar program. This exchange will reduce the sugar surplus by more than the CCC sugar exchanged, which will reduce the incidence of future CCC sugar loan collateral forfeitures.
DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY CARTER ARRIVES IN AFGHANISTAN TO ASSESS U.S. DRAWDOWN
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Carter Arrives in Afghanistan to Review Retrograde Progress
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 13, 2013 - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived at the International Security Forces Joint Command Headquarters here today for meetings with senior U.S., NATO and Afghan officials to review the progress of the drawdown.
The Afghanistan retrograde is on schedule to meet the December 2014 deadline, a senior defense official said Sept. 10 during a background briefing for Pentagon reporters. The official added that Carter would use the trip as an opportunity to get a boots-on-the-ground perspective of the retrograde process.
About 24,000 vehicles and 20,000 container equivalent sets are still to be shipped back to the United States, the official said, noting that the movement of material is expected to pick up again following a slowdown for the Muslim observances of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
Today, Carter will meet with Army Lt. Gen. Mark Milley, commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command; U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham; Army Maj. Gen. James Richardson, commander of the U.S. National Support Element Command; and Dutch Ambassador Maurits Jochems, NATO's senior civilian representative.
The deputy secretary also will hold a meeting with senior leaders from Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan and NATO Training Mission Afghanistan.
The discussions are intended as an affirmation that things are moving and to ensure that the retrograde process continues to work smoothly, the defense official said.
Carter Arrives in Afghanistan to Review Retrograde Progress
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 13, 2013 - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived at the International Security Forces Joint Command Headquarters here today for meetings with senior U.S., NATO and Afghan officials to review the progress of the drawdown.
The Afghanistan retrograde is on schedule to meet the December 2014 deadline, a senior defense official said Sept. 10 during a background briefing for Pentagon reporters. The official added that Carter would use the trip as an opportunity to get a boots-on-the-ground perspective of the retrograde process.
About 24,000 vehicles and 20,000 container equivalent sets are still to be shipped back to the United States, the official said, noting that the movement of material is expected to pick up again following a slowdown for the Muslim observances of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
Today, Carter will meet with Army Lt. Gen. Mark Milley, commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command; U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham; Army Maj. Gen. James Richardson, commander of the U.S. National Support Element Command; and Dutch Ambassador Maurits Jochems, NATO's senior civilian representative.
The deputy secretary also will hold a meeting with senior leaders from Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan and NATO Training Mission Afghanistan.
The discussions are intended as an affirmation that things are moving and to ensure that the retrograde process continues to work smoothly, the defense official said.
JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING SYRIAN TALKS FROM GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Joint Statements After Trilat
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and UN Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi
UN Offices
Geneva, Switzerland
September 13, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Let me just say to everybody that we will not – we will each make a very brief statement. We’ll not be taking questions at this time. And we apologize for that, but we need to get back to the conversations that we’re having on the issue of chemical weapons.
First of all, Foreign Minister Lavrov and I both want to thank Lakhdar Brahimi and the United Nations for their invitation to have a discussion today about the question of the Geneva 2 conference. As everybody knows, the principal reason that Foreign Minister Lavrov and I are here are to have discussions with respect to the initiative to gain control of and remove and destroy the chemical weapons in Syria. That is our principal mission here in Geneva. And I think we would both agree that we had constructive conversations regarding that, but those conversations are continuing and both of us want to get back to them now.
We came here this morning at the invitation of the Special Representative for the Geneva 2 and Syria negotiations in order to discuss where those negotiations are and how we can advance them. I will say on behalf of the United States that President Obama is deeply committed to a negotiated solution with respect to Syria, and we know that Russia is likewise. We are working hard to find the common ground to be able to make that happen and we discussed some of the homework that we both need to do. I’m not going to go into it in any detail today. We both agreed to do that homework and meet again in New York around the time of the UN General Assembly, around the 28th, in order to see if it is possible then to find a date for that conference, much of which will obviously depend on the capacity to have success here in the next day, hours, days, on the subject of the chemical weapons.
Both of us – Sergey Lavrov and I, our countries, our presidents – are deeply concerned about the death toll and destruction, the acts on both sides, all sides that are creating more and more refugees, more and more of the humanitarian catastrophe. And we are committed to try to work together, beginning with this initiative on the chemical weapons, in hopes that those efforts could pay off and bring peace and stability to a war-torn part of the world. And we’re very appreciative for Lakhdar Brahimi hosting us today in an effort to try to advance this initiative.
Sergey.
FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, we had a very useful meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi. As you know, as John said just now, we are here basically to discuss the issue of chemical weapons in Syria. Now that the Assad government joined the Chemical Weapons Convention, we have to engage our professionals together with the Chemical Weapons Prohibition Organization, as we agreed with the United Nations, to design a road which would make sure that this issue is resolved quickly, professionally, as soon as practical.
But we are very glad to Lakhdar Brahimi for inviting us on this occasion to discuss a longer-term goal for Syria, namely the preparation for the conference which is called Geneva 2. Russia, the Russian President from very beginning of the Syrian conflict, have been promoting a peaceful resolution. We have firmly supported the Arab League initiative, their being observers, and we supported Kofi Annan’s initiative, the UN observers, and we were one of the initiators of convening Geneva 1. Last year here, we adopted the Geneva communique, resolved major – almost all major players, including all P-5 countries for the region, Arab League, Turkey, European Union, United Nations. And it is very unfortunate that for a long period the Geneva communique was basically abandoned and we were not able to have endorsement of this very important document in the Security Council, as is as adopted.
Thanks to John, who after becoming Secretary of State in spite of his huge workload on Arab-Israeli conflict understood the importance of moving on Syria and doing something about this. And I am very grateful for him for coming to Moscow on May 7th this year when we launched the Russian-American initiative to convene a Geneva conference to implement fully the Geneva communique, which means that the Syrian parties must reach mutual consent on the transitional governing organ which would command full executive authority. And the communique also says that all groups of Syrian society must be represented.
And we discussed these aspects and other aspects of the preparatory work today with Lakhdar Brahimi and his team. We are very grateful to Lakhdar for his insight, for the suggestions which he made and which we will be entertaining as we move forward parallel with the work on chemical weapons. We agreed to meet in New York in the margins of the General Assembly and see where we are and what the Syrian parties think about it and do about it. And we hope that we will be able to be a bit more specific when we meet with you in New York.
SPECIAL ENVOY BRAHIMI: Thank you very much indeed, both of you, first of all, for coming to talk to us in the Palais de Nation in Geneva. We look forward to the work you are doing on chemical weapons in Syria. It is extremely important in itself and for itself, but it is also extremely important for us who are working with you on trying to bring together the Geneva 2 conference successfully.
Our discussions today, as you have both said now, have been useful. And we are not going to retain you much longer; you have other business to do. Thank you again very, very much indeed for being here.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thanks, Lakhdar.
FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, sir.
SPECIAL ENVOY BRAHIMI: Thank you very much.
Joint Statements After Trilat
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and UN Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi
UN Offices
Geneva, Switzerland
September 13, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Let me just say to everybody that we will not – we will each make a very brief statement. We’ll not be taking questions at this time. And we apologize for that, but we need to get back to the conversations that we’re having on the issue of chemical weapons.
First of all, Foreign Minister Lavrov and I both want to thank Lakhdar Brahimi and the United Nations for their invitation to have a discussion today about the question of the Geneva 2 conference. As everybody knows, the principal reason that Foreign Minister Lavrov and I are here are to have discussions with respect to the initiative to gain control of and remove and destroy the chemical weapons in Syria. That is our principal mission here in Geneva. And I think we would both agree that we had constructive conversations regarding that, but those conversations are continuing and both of us want to get back to them now.
We came here this morning at the invitation of the Special Representative for the Geneva 2 and Syria negotiations in order to discuss where those negotiations are and how we can advance them. I will say on behalf of the United States that President Obama is deeply committed to a negotiated solution with respect to Syria, and we know that Russia is likewise. We are working hard to find the common ground to be able to make that happen and we discussed some of the homework that we both need to do. I’m not going to go into it in any detail today. We both agreed to do that homework and meet again in New York around the time of the UN General Assembly, around the 28th, in order to see if it is possible then to find a date for that conference, much of which will obviously depend on the capacity to have success here in the next day, hours, days, on the subject of the chemical weapons.
Both of us – Sergey Lavrov and I, our countries, our presidents – are deeply concerned about the death toll and destruction, the acts on both sides, all sides that are creating more and more refugees, more and more of the humanitarian catastrophe. And we are committed to try to work together, beginning with this initiative on the chemical weapons, in hopes that those efforts could pay off and bring peace and stability to a war-torn part of the world. And we’re very appreciative for Lakhdar Brahimi hosting us today in an effort to try to advance this initiative.
Sergey.
FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, we had a very useful meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi. As you know, as John said just now, we are here basically to discuss the issue of chemical weapons in Syria. Now that the Assad government joined the Chemical Weapons Convention, we have to engage our professionals together with the Chemical Weapons Prohibition Organization, as we agreed with the United Nations, to design a road which would make sure that this issue is resolved quickly, professionally, as soon as practical.
But we are very glad to Lakhdar Brahimi for inviting us on this occasion to discuss a longer-term goal for Syria, namely the preparation for the conference which is called Geneva 2. Russia, the Russian President from very beginning of the Syrian conflict, have been promoting a peaceful resolution. We have firmly supported the Arab League initiative, their being observers, and we supported Kofi Annan’s initiative, the UN observers, and we were one of the initiators of convening Geneva 1. Last year here, we adopted the Geneva communique, resolved major – almost all major players, including all P-5 countries for the region, Arab League, Turkey, European Union, United Nations. And it is very unfortunate that for a long period the Geneva communique was basically abandoned and we were not able to have endorsement of this very important document in the Security Council, as is as adopted.
Thanks to John, who after becoming Secretary of State in spite of his huge workload on Arab-Israeli conflict understood the importance of moving on Syria and doing something about this. And I am very grateful for him for coming to Moscow on May 7th this year when we launched the Russian-American initiative to convene a Geneva conference to implement fully the Geneva communique, which means that the Syrian parties must reach mutual consent on the transitional governing organ which would command full executive authority. And the communique also says that all groups of Syrian society must be represented.
And we discussed these aspects and other aspects of the preparatory work today with Lakhdar Brahimi and his team. We are very grateful to Lakhdar for his insight, for the suggestions which he made and which we will be entertaining as we move forward parallel with the work on chemical weapons. We agreed to meet in New York in the margins of the General Assembly and see where we are and what the Syrian parties think about it and do about it. And we hope that we will be able to be a bit more specific when we meet with you in New York.
SPECIAL ENVOY BRAHIMI: Thank you very much indeed, both of you, first of all, for coming to talk to us in the Palais de Nation in Geneva. We look forward to the work you are doing on chemical weapons in Syria. It is extremely important in itself and for itself, but it is also extremely important for us who are working with you on trying to bring together the Geneva 2 conference successfully.
Our discussions today, as you have both said now, have been useful. And we are not going to retain you much longer; you have other business to do. Thank you again very, very much indeed for being here.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thanks, Lakhdar.
FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, sir.
SPECIAL ENVOY BRAHIMI: Thank you very much.
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