Prosecutors say a former Powell couple turned Ohio's Medicaid program into their personal cash machine, siphoning about $9.3 million by billing for mental health services that never happened. Roberta Acheampong, 39, and her husband, Godfred Owusu‑Sekyere, 46, were indicted this week after a multi‑year probe that ended with a Franklin County grand jury handing up charges.
The 12‑count indictment, filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, accuses the pair of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, telecommunications fraud, theft, forgery, Medicaid fraud, money‑laundering and identity fraud, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit said the alleged scheme surfaced after investigators dug into billing patterns and related financial records.
How Investigators Say The Scheme Worked
According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, prosecutors say the couple operated One Community Mental Health and repeatedly billed Medicaid for entire households, often refugee families, for therapeutic and mental health services that were never actually provided. Investigators allege the defendants forged documents and used the names of transportation and translation staff to submit extra claims, inflating the bills over weeks and months.
Where The Billing Was Tied And What Records Show
One Community Mental Health is listed in federal provider records, with its NPI file showing an office at 1425 E. Dublin‑Granville Road in Columbus and naming Roberta Acheampong as an authorized official, per the federal registry (NPI record). Public records reviews flagged a rapid spike in billing tied to that address, and prosecutors say bank and billing records show some of the Medicaid money went toward real estate and luxury vehicles, including a Porsche, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
Other Providers Charged And Where The Case Stands
The Attorney General's announcement also detailed indictments of 10 other Medicaid providers in Franklin County, accused of stealing a combined $563,860 from the program, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Prosecutors say Acheampong and Owusu‑Sekyere are believed to be living in Kenya or Ghana as investigators continue to build out the cases. "It's important to remember that these are your tax dollars being stolen," Attorney General Andy Wilson said in the announcement.
Legal Implications
The felony counts carry potential prison terms and could trigger restitution orders and asset‑forfeiture efforts if the state secures convictions. Ohio’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is tasked with prosecuting provider fraud and enforcing patient abuse laws, and the office’s recent case highlights point to an aggressive push to claw back funds and hold providers accountable, per the Attorney General’s office.
Indictments are allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Officials say anyone with information about suspected Medicaid fraud can reach out to the Attorney General’s Help Center or the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for guidance and to submit tips, according to the office's public information.
