
US-based Ghanaian cardiovascular surgeon, Dr Moses DeGraft-Johnson who was earlier this year charged for participating in a federal healthcare fraud has pleaded guilty.
The 46-year-old admitted to 56 counts of health-care fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Dr DeGraft-Johnson, the owner of defunct Heart and Vascular Institute of North Florida, was indicted on February 4, for swindling the American government and health insurers of more than $26 million.
The cardiovascular surgeon among other things was accused of performing unnecessary procedures on patients, billing health care companies millions for surgeries he never performed, and for ‘poaching’ patients at local hospitals.
Dr deGraft-Johnson who is said to be a relative to former Vice President under Hilla Limann, Dr. Joseph William Swain deGraft Johnson then used the money gained from the illegal act for a lavish lifestyle including travelling across the world for pleasure.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he used churches, nursing homes and at least one hospital to find vulnerable victims, many of whom were subjected to invasive and unnecessary procedures.
His crimes left some patients unsure about the veracity of their own medical records and what treatment they may actually need.
Myjoyonline