Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
On October 6, it was announced by U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles that Mohamad Abduljaber, husband of Dr. Shannon Wiggins of Okemos, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after being convicted in a healthcare fraud scheme in which Abduljaber and his wife received healthcare kickback payments. Abduljaber also signed a false tax return, according to the press release.
In sentencing Abduljaber to prison, U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell also ordered him to forfeit $550,000 and to pay more than $285,000 in restitution to the IRS and Medicaid.
Between January of 2004 and April of 2011, Abduljaber and Dr. Shannon Wiggins, his wife, conspired to receive kickbacks for referring patients for electrodiagnostic testing. According to the press release, Abduljaber worked at Dr. Wiggins’ medical practice in the position of office manager. He admittedly signed a fraudulent tax return in which he claimed income for the billing of medical marijuana certifications, however the amount of cash income disclosed on the return was inaccurate.
In September, Shannon Wiggins was sentenced by Judge Bell for the same crimes as her husband. She was sentenced to two years in prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also collected forfeited vehicles and real property valued at approximately $400,000 from Dr. Wiggins.
The case against Dr. Wiggins and Abduljaber resulted from a joint collaborative effort of several law enforcement and other agencies who investigated the case including the IRS – Criminal Investigation, Lansing Police Department, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the DEA, Michigan Attorney General’s Office, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan investigative personnel.
Jarod Koopman, IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge, said this case clearly indicates that Dr. Wiggins and her husband placed their own greed before their patients’ health and safety.
Healthcare fraud, filing fraudulent tax returns with the IRS, money laundering – all of these white collar crimes should be considered extremely serious, as a conviction can result not only in substantial prison time, but tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution, forfeiture of property, and other punishment as indicated in this case.
If you have been accused of filing fraudulent income tax returns, embezzling, or any financial offense, it is vital to take action immediately to protect your freedom, reputation, and legal rights. Contact an aggressive Michigan white collar crimes attorney at once so that work can begin on your behalf.