The United States government has charged two Kenyan ladies of swindling Boston State 100 million dollars (Sh12 billion) in healthcare fraud.
The two nurses, Winnie Waruru, 42, and Faith Newton, 52, used the healthcare institution to swindle money from patients by developing employment relationships with patients’ relatives and claimed to offer services and also pay rebounds for patient referrals, regardless of medical requirements.
According to court documents, from January 2013 through January 2017, Newton was part owner and operator of Arbor Homecare Services LLC, while Waruru was a licensed Practical nurse with Arbor.
This scheme saw Arbor’s income run into millions as the facility provided home health services that were not necessary and occasionally billed for fake visits.
The two nurses’ transactions amounted to millions of dollars within months which explained the lavish lifestyles they lived.
The conspiracy to pay kickback and making false statements in a health care matter each settle for a five-year sentence, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to Sh30 million.
Waruru pleaded guilty to six charges in a federal court in Boston and is awaiting sentencing on January 12, 2023, while Newton pleaded not guilty and is pending trial.
Both their properties have been seized and bank accounts frozen.