Somerset doctor charged with Medicaid fraud and theft
Dr. Ezekiel O. Akande, 57, of Somerset has been indicted on one count of Medicaid fraud and one count of theft, Attorney General Andy Beshear said Friday in a news release.
Both charges against Akande are Class D felonies.
Akande was indicted Wednesday by a Pulaski County grand jury.
The indictment alleges that from April 2013 to December 2014, Akande billed more than $300 to Medicaid for tobacco-cessation counseling that wasn’t performed.
If convicted, Akande could face one to 10 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse and the Office of the Inspector General in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
Since taking office Jan. 3, Beshear said, he has recovered more than $2.6 million for the state by unearthing Medicaid fraud by health providers.
A search warrant was served Thursday at Akande’s office in Somerset, and additional allegations of fraud are being investigated, according to the news release.
The Attorney General’s tip line for reporting allegations of Medicaid fraud is 502-696-5405.
Jack Brammer: (502) 227-1198, @BGPolitics
This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 1:54 PM with the headline "Somerset doctor charged with Medicaid fraud and theft."