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Press Release

North Carolina Physician Indicted for Adulterating Medical Devices for Reuse on Patients, Fabricating Records, and Other Charges

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Raleigh woman with Adulteration of Medical Devices, Paying Illegal Remunerations, Making and Using Materially False Healthcare Documents, Mail Fraud, and Conspiracy.

According to the Superseding Indictment, between 2014 and 2018, Anita Louise Jackson, 58, billed Medicare more than $46 million for allegedly rendering more than 1,200 incidents of “balloon sinuplasty” services to more than 700 patients. Her practice, Greater Carolina Ear, Nose, and Throat (GCENT), received more than $5.4 Million for the services. During portions of this same time period, Jackson was the top-paid provider of balloon sinuplasty services in the United States, despite the location of her practice outside of a major metropolitan area. Jackson profited substantially from these billings to the Medicare program.

Jackson is charged with Adulteration of Medical Devices, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 331(k), 333(a)(1), 333(a)(2), and 351(a)(2)(A); ten counts of Paying Illegal Remunerations, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B); 3 counts of Making False Statements Relating to Health Care Benefits, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1035(a)(2); two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 102A(a)(1); three counts of Mail Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341; and Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. If convicted, Jackson faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for Mail Fraud, 10 years for Paying Illegal Remunerations, and 5 years for Conspiracy and Making False Statements.  Aggravated Identity Theft carries a 2-year mandatory prison sentence, consecutive to any other punishment.  Jackson also faces fines exceeding $250,000.

The speaking Superseding Indictment is attached in full to this press release.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.

If you feel that you or someone you know may be a victim in this case, you are encouraged to contact HHS-OIG at (336) 542-1494 to make a report.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Updated January 5, 2022

Topic
Health Care Fraud