AHCCCS Treatment Fraud

Arizona Medicaid Program (AHCCCS) and American Indian Health Plan (AIHP) Substance Abuse Treatment Fraud - Investigations

PENDING CRIMINAL CASES

United States v. Rita Anagho CR-24-01044-MTL

All hearings will be held before Judge Michael T. Liburdi, Sandra Day O’Connor United States Courthouse, 401 West Washington Street, Courtroom 504, Phoenix, AZ 85003 unless otherwise noted.

Updates: 

Upcoming Hearings

5/29/25 2:00 PM – Change of Plea Hearing for Rita Ntusa Anagho set for 5/29/2025 at 2:00pm in Courtroom 304, 401 West Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003 before Magistrate Judge Michael T. Morrissey

Prior updates:

8/27/24  –   Hearing on Defendant’s Appeal from Magistrate Judge’s Detention Order, Joint Motion for Complex Case Designation, Motion to Continue Pretrial Motions Deadline and Jury Trial Date.

7/17/24 – Detention Hearing before Magistrate Judge Michael T. Morrissey – Defendant Rita Anagho was ordered to be detained.

7/11/24 – Defendant Rita Anagho appeared before Magistrate Judge Alison S. Bachus for an Initial Appearance and Arraignment Hearing.  The defendant entered a plea of not guilty and a detention hearing was set for 7/17/24.

6/18/24 – Defendant Rita Anagho was indicted by a federal grand jury on 10 counts relating to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Wire Fraud, Health Care Fraud, Transactional Money Laundering, and Obstructing a Health Care Fraud investigation.

Criminal Charges: On June 18, 2024, Rita Anagho, 52, of San Tan Valley, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice in connection with an alleged $69 million scheme involving a substance abuse treatment clinic in Arizona. As alleged in the indictment, Anagho owned Tusa Integrated Clinic LLC (“Tusa”), an outpatient treatment center, which was purportedly in the business of providing addiction treatment services for persons suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. Tusa enrolled as a provider with Arizona’s Medicaid agency, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, and submitted false and fraudulent claims for services that were not provided, were not provided as billed, were so substandard that they failed to serve a treatment purpose, were not used as part of any treatment plan, and were medically unnecessary. Anagho also instructed former Tusa employees to create false therapy notes for sessions they did not conduct in 2023 after she was served with a subpoena for Tusa’s records as part of the government’s investigation of this fraud.

Specifically, the indictment charges defendant Anagho with: one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Count 1); four counts of healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347 (Counts 2-5); four counts of transactional money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Counts 6-9); one count of obstructing a health care fraud investigation, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1518 (Count 10).

For more information about the criminal case against Rita Anagho, please see below:

Collection of Substance Abuse Treatment Records from TUSA Integrated Clinic

Please be advised that pursuant to a sealed court order (the “Order”), issued on August 3, 2023, by the Honorable Alison S. Bachus, a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of Arizona (the “Court”), records concerning prior treatment services at Tusa Integrated Clinic LLC (“TUSA”) have been disclosed to the United States, including federal law enforcement agencies, for use in a government investigation. The records obtained may reflect patient identities, patient medical records, reimbursement requests submitted to insurance companies, as well as hospital treatment records. 

The Order was required under 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2(b)(2)(C) for disclosure of the records of patients who were treated for substance abuse. Judge Bachus’s Order directed the members of the investigative team to maintain the records in strict confidence and forbade the investigative team from using the records to investigate or prosecute any patient. 

The Order provided that, if the investigation led to criminal charges against employees or agents of a substance abuse treatment program, then notice needed to be provided to the patients prior to producing discovery to the defendants in the case.  Rita Anagho has been charged by indictment in connection with a conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and other offenses, in United States v. Rita Anagho, Case No. CR-24-1044-PHX-MTL (MTM).  Please note that an indictment is merely an allegation and that all charged individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Prior to the production of discovery, when evidence collected during the investigation is provided to the defendant, a Protective Order will be in place that would restrict the dissemination of private patient records. 

Before production of discovery to defense counsel, individuals whose records have been collected by the government are allowed to file a motion with the Court seeking revocation or amendment of the Order.  Under Title 42 of the United States Code and Chapter 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, any such motion must be limited to the presentation of evidence on the statutory and regulatory criteria for the issuance of the Order. These individuals also have the right to seek independent counsel to advise them concerning their rights under the Order. 

The deadline to file such motion is September 15, 2024.

If believe that your records were collected and you would like further information, including a copy of the sealed Order, or wish to discuss any concerns with a representative of the United States, please contact us via our Victim Assistance Phone Line at (888) 549-3945, or by email at Victimassistance.Fraud@usdoj.gov.

This office cannot give you legal advice concerning your particular situation, but we will attempt to provide information and address any specific concerns you may have. Please be assured that the agencies involved will act with concern for individual privacy and the confidentiality of treatment records.

Assistance for those with medical needs who may have been impacted by the Sober Homes Takedown enforcement actions:

If you need assistance or services relating to substance abuse or were impacted by the closure of a sober living home or a residential facility, please call the AHCCCS assistance hotline by dialing 2-1-1 and choosing option”7” or by visiting the website www.211Arizona.org/MMIP.

The information on this website will be updated as new developments arise in the case. If you have any questions, please call the Victim Assistance Line toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or email us at VictimAssistance.fraud@usdoj.gov.

Presumption of Innocence: It is important to keep in mind that an indictment contains allegations only, and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. That presumption requires both the court and our office to take certain steps to ensure that justice is served.