A Louisiana chiropractor, Dr. Benjamin Tekippe, has been convicted by a federal jury for participating in health care fraud and unemployment insurance fraud, with schemes amounting to millions of dollars. Dr. Tekippe, 40, owner of Metairie Chiropractic & Rehab in New Orleans, was found guilty of submitting fraudulent claims to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) and falsely receiving unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Court documents and trial evidence revealed that Tekippe advertised "free" chiropractic massages to insured patients at schools, public events, and social media but billed BCBSLA for services not performed. Overall, he submitted more than $2.3 million in fake claims, receiving approximately $740,000 in reimbursements. Fraudulent claims even included services allegedly provided while Tekippe was away from the office or incarcerated. To cover his tracks, Tekippe falsified patient records and asked staff to rewrite them in different handwritings. He used the proceeds for personal expenses, including luxury goods and gambling.
During the pandemic, Tekippe fraudulently claimed unemployment benefits, receiving $12,952 while billing for services supposedly rendered during this unemployment period. He was convicted on six counts of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud. Sentencing is set for July 17, with a potential maximum sentence of 20 years for wire fraud and 10 years for each count of health care fraud. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge.
Announcing the conviction were Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and others from FBI and HHS-OIG. The FBI and HHS-OIG led the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Kelly Z. Walters and Samantha Usher prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section, through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, spearheads efforts against health care fraud. Since its inception in 2007, the program has charged over 5,800 defendants who billed insurers more than $30 billion. Additional accountability measures are being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in collaboration with HHS-OIG.
For more information on the Strike Force Program, visit justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.