Michigan woman admits to $539,000 Medicare psychotherapy fraud scheme

A Michigan woman pleaded guilty to billing Medicare for psychotherapy services that were never provided to residents of her adult day care center, the Justice Department announced.

Yolanda Matthews, 58, of Farmington Hills, admitted to continually billing and submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for psychotherapy services, according to court documents. Matthews acknowledged fraudulently billing for services purportedly provided at her adult day care center during periods when the Medicare beneficiary was hospitalized. She also forged claims in the names of social workers who no longer worked at the facility and billed Medicare for psychotherapy services purportedly provided to beneficiaries after they had died. In total, Matthews submitted more than $539,000 in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.

Matthews was charged as part of the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, according to the Justice Department. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2026. She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine her sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, the department said.

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

The FBI Detroit Field Office and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Jeffrey A. Crapko of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting it, the department said.

The Justice Department noted that it announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, also known as the Fraud Division, on April 7 to focus on investigating and prosecuting fraud against the American people. The department said its work supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government initiative chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance that seeks to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within federal benefit programs.

According to the Justice Department, its Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program — currently comprising nine strike forces operating in federal districts nationwide — has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. The department said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working with HHS-OIG, is also taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes.

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