NEW JERSEY – Two Ocean County residents were charged as part of a nationwide health care fraud sweep announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The enforcement action, announced June 23, involved 455 people across the country accused in schemes totaling more than $6.5 billion in false claims and opioid prescription abuse, federal officials said. The sweep included 90 doctors and other licensed health care providers.
Among those charged were Ashlee Maixner, 39, of Lakehurst, and Michael Servon, 43, of Toms River.
Maixner, an advanced practice nurse, was charged by federal indictment with conspiracy to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by receiving kickbacks and bribes and offering to pay kickbacks, according to the Justice Department. Authorities said the alleged conspiracy involved about $1.65 million.
Federal officials also alleged Maixner unlawfully prescribed medications to people based on short text messages without evaluating them.
Servon was indicted by a state grand jury June 16 on charges of health care claims fraud, Medicaid fraud and theft by deception.
Authorities alleged Servon billed $2,688 for services that were never provided to a Medicaid beneficiary who was hospitalized and later died, according to the indictment and the Justice Department. Officials said he submitted five or more fraudulent timesheets to the New Jersey Medical Assistance and Health Services Program and was paid $1,504.
The charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
