ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Justice announced two Georgia men were among 455 defendants charged in a nationwide healthcare fraud enforcement operation.
USDOJ said Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr. and Lonnie Releford, both of Atlanta, are accused of committing crimes violating federal healthcare laws.
Rutledge, described by the Justice Department as the owner of a cyst removal, allergy testing, wound care and psychotherapy clinic, submitted thousands of false claims to the Georgia Medicaid program.
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USDOJ said Rutledge requested $4.3 million from the program and was paid $2.6 million for the fake claims.
Federal officials said Rutledge made 11,300 false claims between 2017 and 2023. He faces 40 counts of health care fraud.
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In a separate case, Releford was accused of concealing material facts related to health care matters.
USDOJ said Releford allegedly applied for and worked at nursing jobs at a variety of hospitals and nursing homes in the metro Atlanta area by lying about his education and professional qualifications.
Officials said Releford submitted fake documents and stole the identity of a real, licensed practical nurse to enable his being hired to work in the hospitals and nursing homes.
When asked about having a criminal history, Releford is accused of lying and saying he did not have one, despite multiple convictions for identity theft and fraud.
Due to his alleged fraudulent activities, USDOJ said Releford was able to be paid by health care providers, which also billed Medicare and Medicaid for services he was not legally able to perform.
Releford worked in hospitals and nursing homes without the qualifications or license to do so from August 2021 to April 2025.
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