Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com.
Help support the publication of case reports on MoreLaw
Date: 08-26-2020
Case Style:
United States of America v. Princess Terry
Case Number: 2:19-cr-20248-TLP
Judge: Thomas L. Parker
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee (Shelby County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Call 855-853-4800 for help finding a great criminal defense lawyer Memphis, Tennessee.
Description:
Memphis, TN - The United States of America charged Princess Terry, age 27, with healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to information presented in Court, Princess Terry owned and operated Caring Hearts Memphis, a home healthcare services business, which purported to provide healthcare services to mostly elderly patients, including home health aides, skilled nursing, and physical and occupational therapy. Between approximately January 1, 2016 and June 27, 2019, Terry submitted over $2 million in fraudulent billing to Humana, a private health insurance provider, for services that were not actually rendered.
Terry's fraudulent billing practices included numerous instances of billing for home health services on days when patients were actually hospitalized, billing for services in excess of 24 hours in a given day for the same patient, and billing for services purportedly rendered after the patient was deceased.
In executing this scheme, Terry also committed aggravated identity theft by forging patients' signatures without their knowledge or permission on consent-for-services forms and progress notes containing fraudulent misrepresentations about services not actually performed.
The defendant pled guilty on August 25, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on November 6, 2020, where Terry faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years and up to ten years.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This case represents our commitment to expose healthcare fraudulent schemes, protect the integrity of the health insurance system, hold offenders accountable for their dishonest criminal conduct, and to recover ill-gotten proceeds on behalf of victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is willing and able to go to any lengths in our pursuit of justice in healthcare fraud cases, and we commend the great investigative work of the FBI in this significant fraud case."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Cotten is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
18:1347.F & 2 HEALTH CARE FRAUD
(1)
18:1347.F & 2 HEALTH CARE FRAUD
(2-11)
18:1343.F & 2 FRAUD BY WIRE, RADIO, OR TELEVISION
(12-14)
18:1035.F FALSE STATEMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE MATTERS
(15)
18:1028A.F & 2 FRAUD WITH IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS
(16)
ENGAGING IN MONETARY TRANSACTIONS
(17)
Outcome: 08/25/2020 31 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Thomas L. Parker: Change of Plea Hearing as to Princess Terry (1) held on 8/25/2020. Defendant sworn. Written plea agreement/Filed in open court. Plea colloquy/Basis in fact by the Government. Guilty Plea entered by Princess Terry (1), to Counts 1 and 16; Remaining Counts to be dismissed at sentencing hearing. Guilty plea accepted. Sentencing set for Friday, 11/6/2020 at 1:00 PM in Courtroom 1 - Memphis before Judge Thomas L. Parker. Defendant to remain released on present bond. Jury Trial scheduled for 8/31/2020 is Cancelled. (AUSA: C. Cotten)(Defense Counsel: K. Spearman) (Court Reporter: Cathy Phillips)(2:30-3:30) (tlh) (Entered: 08/25/2020)
08/25/2020 32 PLEA AGREEMENT as to Princess Terry. (tlh) (Entered: 08/25/2020)
08/25/2020 33 ORDER ON CHANGE OF PLEA as to Princess Terry. SENTENCING is set for FRIDAY, 11/6/2020 at 1:00 PM in Courtroom 1 - Memphis before Judge Thomas L. Parker. Pursuant to Local Criminal Rule 32.1, the Presentence Report prepared by the United States Probation Officer shall be provided to the parties at least thirty-five (35) days prior to sentencing. Counsel for the parties shall submit any objections or requests in writing to the Probation Officer no more than fourteen (14) days after receiving the report and attempt to resolve any issues involving the report. No more than twenty-one (21) days after receiving the report, the parties shall file their position papers on sentencing with the Court. At least 7 days before the sentencing, the Probation Officer shall submit the final report to the Court and the parties. Signed by Judge Thomas L. Parker on 8/25/2020. (Parker, Thomas) (Entered: 08/25/2020)
08/25/2020 34 SETTING LETTER as to Princess Terry: Sentencing set for Friday, 11/6/2020 at 1:00 PM in Courtroom 1 - Memphis before Judge Thomas L. Parker. (tlh) (Entered: 08/25/2020)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: