Pastor, 2 Others Convicted In $14.2M Church Medicare Fraud
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A Southland pastor is among three people convicted for using personal information from churchgoers in a $14.2 million Medicare scam.
KNX 1070's Ron Kilgore reports Christopher Iruke, 60, and Connie Ikpoh, 49, persuaded their congregation at the now-defunct Arms of Grace Christian Center to give up their private data.
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Federal special agent Glenn Ferry said that information was used to set up fraudulent medical supply businesses. The fake firms then billed Medicare for power wheelchairs and other pricey equipment that was never provided or was unnecessary.
Ferry also said Iruke would even use the data from two different church locations to make "bogus charts to make them look good for the government".
"Parishioners who were say from South Africa who were here on work visas, he would have them working 15 hours a day at the Slauson location, and then eventually he had them shredding documents," Ferry added.
Iruke was found guilty of one count of conspiracy and 17 counts of health care fraud after a two-week federal trial.
Ikpoh along with employee Aura Marroquin, 30,, were each found guilty of one count of conspiracy and four counts of health care fraud.
A sentencing court date is set for November.
