Former counselor sentenced for fraud

A former behavioral health counselor has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for fraudulently billing Medicaid for counseling he did not actually provide.

Samuel Okere, 62, of Oklahoma City, devised a scheme to unlawfully enrich himself by submitting false and fraudulent Medicaid claims to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, according to Oklahoma City federal prosecutors.

Between 2013 and 2017, Okere billed for numerous counseling sessions, primarily with children, at times conflicting with his clients' schedules or his own whereabouts, prosecutors alleged. In one instance, he admitted he billed for a counseling session when he was actually at the YMCA.

District Judge Stephen Friot ordered Okere pay $141,545 in restitution. Okere has already fully paid the amount. The judge also ordered Okere pay a $10,000 fine.

“Samuel Okere took advantage of the system that some of the most vulnerable in our society rely on for health care services,” Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter said.

The investigation found that Okere was submitting false claims for behavioral health counseling while he was a licensed professional counselor and owner of New Life Counseling Services.

Okere pleaded guilty to health care fraud in April. He was sentenced this week.