Antoine Johnson, 40, a former resident of Aberdeen, Washington, and
his mother, Lawanda Johnson, were convicted today in U.S. District
Court in Tacoma of more than two dozen federal felonies connected with
their operation of four health care clinics in Western Washington.
Following the three week jury trial, Antoine Johnson and Lawanda Johnson were convicted of 24 counts of health care fraud. Antoine Johnson was also convicted of 4 counts of filing false income tax
returns and five counts of illegal drug distribution. Lawanda Johnson
was convicted of six counts of filing false income tax returns. The
jury deliberated about two and a half days before returning the guilty
verdicts. U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton scheduled sentencing
for February 3, 2012.
In 2008, law enforcement investigated information
obtained by the Grays Harbor County Drug Task Force that the clinics
were dispensing a high number of prescriptions for narcotic pain
medications without examining the patient. Antoine Johnsonwas the
only medical doctor employed by the four clinics, the “Broadway Clinic”
in Aberdeen and the “Johnson Family Practice” clinics in Tacoma,
Lakewood, and Lacey. Dr. Johnson churned out prescriptions for
Schedule II controlled substances such Oxycodone and Methadone.
Evidence introduced at trial indicated that these clinics had thousands
of patients and over half of those patients were prescribed controlled
substances by Dr. Johnson. These prescriptions were refilled for
months and years at a time. Often, the patients would come to the
clinic, get their weight and blood pressure taken, and then pick up a
Schedule II prescription that had been pre-signed by Dr. Johnson.
The health care fraud investigation began following an audit
by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
(DSHS) of Medicaid billing practices at the clinics. Testimony and
evidence at trial showed that the clinics, through their business
manager Lawanda Johnson and their only medical doctor, Antoine Johnson,
consistently billed for a higher level of service that was actually
provided. Evidence introduced at trial showed that the clinic
routinely billed Medicaid and Labor and Industries for high-level
service even though a patient was only in the clinic for a refill of a
controlled substance medication and only had the patients’ vitals taken.
The Johnsons closed their clinics and left the
United States shortly after search warrants were executed at the four
clinics and the residence of Lawanda Johnson in January 2009. The pair
were ultimately located in Madagascar, and were returned to the U.S.
for trial. The Department of Health has revoked Dr. Johnson’s license
to practice medicine.
Health care fraud is punishable by up to ten years
in prison and a $250,000 fine. Illegal distribution of controlled
substances is punishable by up to 20 years and prison and a $1 million
fine. Filing a false tax return is punishable by up to three years in
prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Health
and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
