Detroit man pleads guilty in Medicare fraud scheme

DETROIT (AP) -- A Detroit man faces up to 10 years in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare. The Justice Department says 37-year-old Sachin Sharma pleaded guilty last Friday in U.S. District Court in Detroit to tax evasion and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Federal authorities say Sharma directed operations at a network of clinics in the Detroit area. Those clinics were created or operated to bill Medicare for home health and psychotherapy services that were not provided. Between 2007 and last year, the companies submitted more than $29 million in Medicare claims. People were paid to get Medicare benefits information which was used to bill for services. Employees at the clinics also were directed to falsify and alter medical documents. Sharma is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 8. Published: Tue, May 7, 2013