Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that the El Paso-based Texas Eighth Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s judgment against Dr. Richard Malouf, former owner of All Smiles Dental Center, for violations of the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act (TMFPA). The trial court held Dr. Malouf responsible for committing 1,842 unlawful acts under the TMFPA, resulting in more than $11 million in civil remedies. The opinion makes clear that Medicaid providers who falsely represent that they treated Medicaid patients, and who ask Medicaid to pay for those un-performed services, will face stiff monetary penalties.
“The integrity of the Medicaid program must be protected, and I applaud my litigation and appellate teams for defending their hard-earned judgment to recover taxpayer money,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Identifying and preventing Medicaid fraud continues to be a top priority for my office. I remain committed to ensuring that taxpayer dollars are preserved for those who most need them.”
To read the opinion, click here.