Ohio Tag Archives — Criminal Defense and Civil Forfeiture Blog

Published on: November 13, 2020

Owner and Employees of Ohio Non-Profit Organization Charged in Scheme to Defraud Medicaid

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced the return of a 28-count indictment charging the owner of a mental-health nonprofit organization and eight of his employees for their alleged roles in a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud Medicaid.

Named in the indictment are: Alfonzo D. Bailey, 38, of Cleveland, OH; David Brown, 39, of Maple Heights, OH; Valerie White, 51, of Columbus, OH; Sandra Wilson, 52, of Cleveland, OH; Cheria Oliver, 31, of Canal Winchester, OH; Charchee Tucker, 43, of Warrensville Heights, OH; Allen Steel, 38, of Parma, OH; Kamelah Ganaway, 43, Macedonia, OH; and Tremayne Kellom, 41, of Cleveland, OH. A court docket lists attorneys for only Tucker and Wilson. It is unclear if the other defendants have acquired legal representation.

Published on: November 9, 2020

Two Florida Men Face Charges for Alleged Scam Involving Seniors

by Brian Silber

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has announced an indictment charging two Florida men for their alleged involvement in a so-called “grandparent scam.”

Johnny Lee Palmer, 25, and John Tyler Pla, 25, both of Tampa, FL, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Attorney information was not available at the time of writing.

Published on: September 7, 2020

Three Florida Men Accused of Stealing Ohio Residents’ Tax Refunds, COVID-19 Stimulus Checks in Fraud Conspiracy

by Brian Silber

Three Florida men face federal charges in Cincinnati, OH, for their alleged role in a financial fraud conspiracy that involved stealing identities in order to fraudulently obtain tax refunds, coronavirus (COVID-19) stimulus checks, and credit cards.

Adesh Alvin Bissoon, 41, of Miami Beach; Michael Jacques Joseph, 37, of Miami Beach; and Victor Torres, 38, of Apollo Beach are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, mail fraud affecting a financial institution, and aggravated identity theft. It is unclear if they have acquired legal representation.

Published on: June 22, 2020

Nine Pharmacists Charged for Role in $12.1 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme in Michigan and Ohio

by Brian Silber

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has unsealed the indictments of nine pharmacists who were charged last week for their alleged participation in a $12.1 million health care fraud scheme executed in Michigan and Ohio.

Published on: July 16, 2019

Eric L. Hughes of Toledo, Ohio Convicted of Workers’ Compensation Fraud

by Brian Silber

After pleading guilty last month to not having workers compensation coverage for his employees, an Ohio man has been ordered to pay almost $57,000 in restitution and serve three years of probation.

Eric L. Hughes, age 53, is a contractor based in Holland, a suburb of Toledo in north-west Ohio. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Hughes has been operating in the Toledo area since 1993 under the business names “Eric L Hughes Sr” and “Idp Maintenance.” The BBB estimates Hughes’ companies generate about $70,000 per year in revenue.
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