Former VA Employee Charged with Health Care Fraud

A former VA employee, his daughter and ex-wife are facing charges of health care fraud in excess of $300,000.

A former federal employee who worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs in The Villages, FL has been charged with health care and wire fraud according to an announcement from the Justice Department.

Miller Wilson, Jr., 49, was indicted along with his daughter, Myoshi Wilson, 25, and ex-wife, Erica Wilson, 42. Miller Wilson, Jr. is also charged with eight counts of solicitation and receipt of health care kickbacks, and Erica and Myoshi Wilson are each charged with one count of making false statements.

According to the indictment, Miller Wilson, Jr. provided transportation arrangements for veterans needing medical treatment as part of his employment at the VA.

From 2014 through 2016, Miller Wilson, Jr. obtained cash kickbacks from the transportation vendors in exchange for awarding them health care contracts from the VA.

Thereafter, from 2016-2017, Miller Wilson, Jr. conspired with Erica and Myoshi Wilson to open and manage two different transportation companies to provide these services to veterans. Miller Wilson, Jr. used his official position at the VA to funnel health care contracts to the companies that he had formed with Erica and Myoshi Wilson. During a 17-month period, the two companies billed the federal government $305,673.

In 2019, Myoshi and Erica Wilson made false statements to a federal agent in to conceal their wrongdoing.

An indictment is only a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

If convicted, each individual faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for the conspiracy count. Erica and Myoshi Wilson each face up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the false statement count. Also, Miller Wilson, Jr. faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each count of soliciting and receiving health care kickbacks.

The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $382,462, which represents the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

About the Author

Ian Smith is one of the co-founders of FedSmith.com. He has over 20 years of combined experience in media and government services, having worked at two government contracting firms and an online news and web development company prior to his current role at FedSmith.