Former Moberly doctor sentenced 22 months for defrauding Medicare, Medicaid
ST. LOUIS (KMIZ)
A former Moberly doctor who admitted in federal court to a scheme to steal from taxpayers by using his father's name to bill Medicaid and Medicare was sentenced Thursday to nearly two years in prison, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
Dr. Justin G. LaMonda, 42, pleaded guilty in March at the U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of making false statements related to healthcare. He was sentenced on Thursday to 22 months.
Lamonda was also ordered to repay $537,332, which were the reported losses to Medicare and Missouri Medicaid, the release states.
LaMonda's medical license was suspended in 2017 after he was accused of engaging in sexual activity with his office manager and prescribing her drugs without examination, according to the release. The U.S. attorney's office also claims a Medicare contractor found that he submitted claims while he was suspended. His Medicare number was taken away in 2019.
LaMonda instructed his billing personnel to use his father’s unique billing provider number, falsely claiming that the father had performed the medical services or ordered additional equipment or treatment, the release states.
When LaMonda’s father – Dr. Gary LaMonda --received the payments, he would transfer the funds to his son. Dr. Gary LaMonda, died in September 2021, the release states.
