DeWine, Stewart announce Fifth Damal Home Care Conviction

More than $400,000 to be Repaid to State of Ohio

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Carter Stewart, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, today announced the fifth and final health care fraud conviction in connection with Damal Home Health Care Services of Columbus.

This morning a U.S. District Court judge sentenced Damal's co-owner, Yasin Warsame, of Westerville, to 90 days incarceration followed by three years of probation.   The 45-year-old previously pleaded guilty to one count of Health Care Fraud.

Warsame's business partner, Amir Abdi Ahmed, 47, of Columbus, had also pleaded guilty to the same charge and received a similar sentence last month.

The pair must also pay a combined $81,192 in restitution to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services' Office of Medicaid.

Those with the Attorney General's Health Care Fraud Section, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, began investigating the home health care agency in 2010 after receiving information that some employees were billing Medicaid for services that had not been provided.

"These business owners knowingly and willfully billed Medicaid for around 1,500 home health visits that never happened, and they let three of their employees do the same thing," said Attorney General DeWine.

Three of Damal's home health care nurses were also previously convicted on similar charges and ordered to repay $331,802 between them.

Ohioans can report suspected Medicaid fraud to Attorney General DeWine's office by calling 1-800-282-0515 or visiting www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.

Individuals or health care company employees who suspect fraud against government health insurance programs can also report them anonymously online at www.stopmedicarefraud.gov, or by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).