Medicare fraudster admits to scheme

An Arleta, Calif.-based medical equipment supplier has pleaded guilty to Medicare fraud totaling approximately a half a million dollars. Sylvester Ijewere, owner of Maydads Medical Supply, admitted to a scheme in which he purchased fraudulent medical prescriptions for expensive power wheelchairs and other equipment, according Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Ijewere admitted that from June 2007 to October 2009, he obtained prescriptions and other patient information from fraudulent medical clinics and patient “recruiters” and then billed Medicare for the equipment.