A New Mexico physician and a former state police officer have pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, including Medicaid fraud, conspiracy to commit identity theft and practicing medicine without a license, according to an Oct. 16 news release from the New Mexico Department of Justice.
What happened?
- The convictions of Keith Levitt, MD, and Morgan Ortiz stem from an extensive scheme involving Medicaid fraud, identity theft, document falsification and unauthorized medical practice at their now-shuttered substance abuse recovery program, according to the report.
- An investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice found that the pair fraudulently billed the state’s Medicaid program for hundreds of thousands of dollars in false claims.
- Both defendants face up to three years in prison and are jointly and severally liable for more than $1.5 million in restitution to the State of New Mexico — including $411,528.78 in direct restitution and $1.1 million in civil penalties.
