Sugar Land Nurse Convicted in $3.5 Million Healthcare Fraud Scheme

HOUSTON – A federal jury has convicted a 51-year old Sugar Land nurse of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, six counts of health care fraud and conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. The jury deliberated for less than six hours following a three-day trial before convicting John Dubor.

Dubor owned and operated Care Committers Health Services home health agency in Richmond. During the three-day trial, the jury heard evidence that Dubor paid marketers and group home owners for Medicare beneficiary information and subsequently billed Medicare and Medicaid for home health services for which the beneficiaries did not qualify and/or did not receive. 

Additionally, Dubor personally falsified home health patient assessment forms documents to make the beneficiaries appear sicker on paper to receive higher reimbursement rates from Medicare. Dubor also instructed his employees to falsify home health certifications and forge physician signatures. The beneficiaries, who all resided in Nacogdoches, had no recollection of ever being treated by the Houston physicians listed on their home health orders. Medicare paid Dubor approximately $3.5 million.

Dubor’s co-conspirator, Lorine Whitaker, 59, of Nacaogdoches, had previously pleaded to conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute and is awaiting sentencing. 

Dubor faces up 10 years in federal prison for each count of health care fraud and up to five years for conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. Previously released on bond, Dubor was immediately taken into custody following the trial pending that hearing, set for Sept. 7, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon. 

The Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General’s Houston Field Office and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Justin Blan and AUSA Attorney Tina Ansari are prosecuting the case.