Indiana and New York license boards file complaints against psychiatrist Godfrey Mbonu following fraud conviction

March 14, 2011

On January 6, 2011, the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana issued a Complaint against psychiatrist Godfrey U. Mbonu, seeking to discipline him relative to criminal actions taken against him in the state of New York, where he is also licensed.

On December 22, 2009, Mbonu pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny for defrauding the U.S. Medicaid program.  He was sentenced April 28, 2010 to one year in prison and restitution of more than $214,000. 

An investigation by the New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) revealed that from 2003 to 2009, Mbonu submitted hundreds of claims to Medicaid for medical services he never provided. 

Records obtained by the MFCU showed that Mbonu submitted claims to Medicaid for sessions in his office when he actually was out of the country and also office sessions when the patient listed was actually hospitalized. 

Additionally, it was found that to double reimbursements from Medicaid, he billed Medicaid at the rate for services delivered by a psychiatrist when they were actually provided by a clinical social worker. 

Mbonu admitted at his plea hearing to having intended to defraud Medicaid. 

In November 2010, the medical licensing authority of New York State issued a complaint against Mbonu, similar to that of the state of Indiana. 

Source: Complaint in the Matter of the License of Godfrey Ugochukwu Mbonu, M.D., License No. 01066550A, Before the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana, Cause No. 2011 MLB 0002; Statement of Charges in the Matter of Godfrey Ugochukwu Mbonu, M.D., NY-09-06-3610-A, New York State Board for Professional Medical Conduct and “NY psychiatrist guilty of $214K Medicaid fraud,” North Country Gazette, December 22, 2009.