PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Court documents reveal that a business owner plans to plead guilty to a healthcare fraud charge.
46-year-old Lopez Scott of Portsmouth is accused of taking money from the Virginia Medical Assistance Program over a three year period.
Court documents state, Scott owned and operated Turning Points Residential Care also known as "Turning Points", a business located in Portsmouth that was authorized to provide residential support services and skilled nursing services to recipients of Medicaid.
Records indicate that Scott received payment of over $188,297 from Virginia Medical Assistance Program for providing personal care services and respite care services to a Medicaid recipient only identified as J.M.
Prosecutors allege that Scott submitted false billing claims to the government for payment for skilled nursing services “when in truth and fact, as the defendant knew, no such services had actually been provided.”
It states there were 5,581.75 hours of skilled nursing services that had been provided to the person, which Scott was given $188,297, which officials say he was not entitled to.
“In order to conceal and cover up the fact that no skilled nursing services had been provided to J.M., the defendant created fraudulent entries of nursing notes in the electronic office records of Turning Points, including the forged signature of a nurse, which falsely indicated such services had been provided to J.M.,” according to the federal court documents.
Attempts to reach Scott were unsuccessful, but his lawyer Nick Renninger issued the following statement that read in part:
“…Mr. Scott is confident in the integrity and fairness of the judicial system, and I believe that all relevant issues regarding this matter will be presented to the Court at the appropriate time. I don’t want to say more than that at this time due to the procedural nature of the pending case.”
Scott is facing one count of felony Healthcare fraud. He is scheduled for his initial appearance and plea agreement hearing on December 3 in the Norfolk Federal Courthouse.
