OKC Standard

U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester has announced criminal charges against three defendants in connection with the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.

“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”

“We must protect these federal programs which provide vital funding to our society’s most vulnerable,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Today’s nationwide announcement is further proof of the Department of Justice’s ongoing commitment to protect Americans from those who seek to exploit government programs for personal gain.”

“We will not tolerate fraud that preys on patients who need and deserve high quality health care,” said Christi A. Grimm, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The hard work of the HHS-OIG team and our outstanding law enforcement partners makes today’s action possible. We must protect taxpayer dollars and keep Americans safe from harms to their health, privacy, and financial well-being.”

The charges are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings.

As part of this national initiative, the following individuals have been charged in the Western District of Oklahoma:

Dr. Dustin York, 39, and Vincent Carter, 39, both of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, were charged by indictment with health care fraud and conspiracy to pay kickbacks in connection with the delivery of DME. According to the indictment, York, a licensed chiropractor, and Carter operated Discover DME, a DME supplier. They are alleged to have purchased doctors’ orders, paid kickbacks to obtain referrals through telemarketing companies, and submitted false claims to Medicare based on those orders and referrals. In total, they caused Discover DME to submit false claims totaling over $4.8 million; Discover DME was paid over $1.1 million as a result.

Priscilla Orange, age 66, also of Oklahoma City was charged by indictment with obstruction of a federal audit, federal program theft, and making false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Orange allegedly misspent approximately $494 thousand received for her daycare provider business on impermissible personal expenses after applying for federal funds administered by various departments including Agriculture and Health and Human Services.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Snyder and D.H. Dilbeck.

Investigations were conducted by several agencies including HHS-OIG; FBI; U.S Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; U.S Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.

A complaint or indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.