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SHERMAN, Texas – A fifth individual has been indicted for conspiring to commit illegal remunerations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox.

A federal grand jury, on Nov. 18, 2020, returned a superseding indictment charging Steven Churchill, 34, of Boca Raton, Florida, Samson Solomon, 23, of West Palm Beach, Florida, David Warren, 49, of Boca Raton, Florida, Daniel Stadtman, 66, of Allen, Texas, and Lydia Henslee, 29, of McKinney, Texas, each with one count of conspiracy to commit illegal remunerations.

According to the superseding indictment, the defendants are alleged to have conspired to pay and receive kickbacks in exchange for physicians’ orders that were used to submit claims for payment to federal health care programs.  The conspirators obtained patient information, including protected health information and personally identifiable information, and used the information to create fictitious physicians’ orders.  The conspirators then sold the physicians’ orders to each other and to other durable medical equipment providers.  Within approximately eight months, the defendants collectively obtained more than $2.9 million in proceeds from the criminal scheme.

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by federally funded programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE.  If convicted, the defendants each face up to five years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and Adrian Garcia.

It is important to note that a complaint, arrest, or indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.