Orange County Doctor Pleads Guilty in $20 Million MediCal Fraud Scheme
FULLERTON, Calif.—An Orange County physician pleaded guilty Sept. 28 to orchestrating a scheme to defraud Medi-Cal out of $20 million.
Mohamed Waddah El-Nachef, 69, of Laguna Hills, pleaded guilty to executing a scheme to defraud Medi-Cal, fraudulent claim for a health benefit, fraudulent insurance benefit claim, false or fraudulent claims, solicitation, acceptance or referral of business, conspiracy or aiding and abetting unauthorized practice of medicine, and grand theft, all felonies. He also admitted sentencing enhancements for aggravated white-collar crime between $100,000 to $500,000.
He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 1 of next year.
The doctor will be required to pay $2.3 million in restitution and surrender his medical license, according to the Attorney General’s Office, which prosecuted the case….