Magnolia Woman Admits Billing Medicaid $477k for Mental Health Therapy That Was Never Provided

HOUSTON – A 34-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to federal charges after admitting she billed Medicaid nearly $478,000 for mental health therapy that was never provided, including services purportedly delivered to herself.

Tekiyah McLeod of Magnolia, TX, pleaded guilty to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft in federal court in Houston.

McLeod served as the registered agent for nLove Community Services LLC, a company that purported to provide mental health therapy to Medicaid beneficiaries, according to federal prosecutors.

As part of her plea, McLeod admitted submitting approximately $477,872 in fraudulent Medicaid claims for therapy sessions that did not take place.

Some of the claims represented that McLeod herself had received mental health therapy services that were never provided, prosecutors said.

McLeod also admitted using a nurse practitioner’s name and National Provider Identifier, or NPI, to submit claims without the practitioner’s knowledge or permission.

Medicaid paid approximately $453,323 as a result of the fraudulent claims.

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison accepted McLeod’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16.

McLeod faces up to 10 years in federal prison on the health care fraud charge. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence that must run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the fraud charge. She also faces a possible fine of up to $250,000.

McLeod was allowed to remain free on bond while awaiting sentencing.

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from Medicaid Fraud Control Units within the Texas and Virginia attorneys general’s offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum is prosecuting the case.