This past May, a suburban Chicago married couple, who owned a not-for-profit organization schemed with a social worker to fraudulently obtain more than $1.16 million from Medicare, according to a federal indictment in the Northern District of Illinois.

Richard and Tammie Pitts owned American Warriors, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation which provided psychotherapy services to residents of senior living facilities in the Chicago area from 2019 to 2021. The couple worked with social worker Charlo Jordan to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for psychotherapy services that were not provided.

Per the Department of Justice, "Richard Pitts invited residents of the senior facilities to attend breakfast meetings, which often included guest speakers or group activities, as a way to identify Medicare beneficiaries whose information would then be used in support of the fraudulent claims, the indictment states."

"When the Covid-19 pandemic began and American Warriors could no longer host in-person breakfasts, the company collected residents’ phone numbers for purported “telehealth” therapy and continued to bill Medicare for psychotherapy that was never provided, the indictment states."

You can read the press release from the Department of Justice here.

The Illinois SMP is also here to offer assistance if you feel you have been affected by any potential Medicare fraud, please call the Illinois SMP at AgeOptions at (800)699-9043 or visit www.illinoissmp.org.

August and September 2023 SMP Workshops

August 24, 2023, 10:00 am – Village of Park Forest Senior Fair

Dining On the Green (349 Main Street Park Forest, IL 60466)

August 26, 2023, 10:00 am – Vive tu Vida Spanish Fair

McKinley Park Gymnastics Center (2210 W Pershing Rd. Chicago, IL 60609)

August 28, 2023, 2:00 pm – Central Baptist Village Presentation + Bingo

Central Baptist Village (4747 N. Canfield Ave. Norridge, IL 60706)

August 29, 2023, 12:00 pm – Wheeling Senior Meal Site SMP Bingo

Village of Wheeling Senior Services (1 Community Blvd. Wheeling, IL 60090)

August 30, 2023, 12:30 pm – Northbrook Park District SMP Bingo

Northbrook Park District (3323 Walters Ave. Northbrook, IL 60062)

September 5, 2023, 10:00 am – Flesh Becomes Word Church SMP Bingo

Flesh Becoming Word Church (18423 Stony Island Ave. Lansing, IL 60438)

September 7, 2023, 9:00 am – Roselle Senior Fair

Clauss Recreation Center (555 Bryn Mawr Ave. Roselle, IL 60172)

September 7, 2023, 11:00 am – Hanover Township 16th Annual Health and Wellness Expo

Hanover Township (240 S. IL Route 59 Bartlett, IL 60103)

September 11, 2023, 10:00 am – River Forest Public Library SMP Bingo

River Forest Public Library (735 Lathrop Ave. River Forest, IL 60305)

September 13, 2023, 9:00 am – Senator John Curran Senior Fair

Lemont Core Fitness Center (16050 W 127th St. Lemont, Illinois 60439)

September 14, 2023, 1:00 pm – LAMDA Spanish SMP Bingo

LAMDA Community Center (6112 W Cermak Rd. Cicero, Illinois 60804)

September 19, 2023, 11:00 am – Hanover Township SMP Bingo

Hanover Township (250 S Il Route 59 Bartlett, IL 60103)

September 20, 2023, 9:30 am – Active Senior Expo

Atlantis Banquets (1273 N Rand Rd. Arlington Heights, IL 60004)

September 21, 2023, 10:00 am – Schaumburg Meal Site SMP Bingo

The Barn (231 Civic Drive Schaumburg, IL 60193)

September 27, 2023, 10:00 am – The Salvation Army SMP Bingo with Health Screenings by Alivio

The Salvation Army Cross Generations Worship and Community Center (2900 Burr Oak Ave, Blue Island, IL 60406)

September 28, 2023, at 10:00 am – Dolton Public Library Public Benefits and SMP Bingo

Dolton Public Library (14037 Lincoln Ave, Dolton, IL 60419)

Have a wonderful week!

Travis Trumitch

travis.trumitch@ageoptions.org