Sentence Adjustment of Former Physician Due to Fraud Conviction Overturning

In Toledo, Ohio, a former Maumee-area physician, Ankita Singh, has received a sentence adjustment to time served after her initial criminal convictions were overturned by an appellate court. According to federal court documents, Judge Jack Zouhary accepted a plea deal on June 2, reducing Singh's sentence to time served for one charge from a more extensive indictment. She will also serve a year of supervised release and is required to pay a $25 special assessment and provide $400,000 in restitution.

The court dismissed other charges against Singh following a prosecution motion. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit vacated Singh's 2024 convictions, calling for further district court proceedings. Originally, Singh was convicted of multiple health care fraud charges, resulting in a 26-month prison sentence, a two-year supervised release, and over $4.47 million in restitution.

The appellate court identified procedural errors during the trial, including issues with jury instructions regarding 'willfully,' exclusion of testimonies reflecting Singh's intent, and admission of lay opinions on medical necessity. The allegations involved Singh signing numerous prescriptions for orthotic braces to Medicare patients without examination or contact. Singh reportedly acted as an independent contractor for telehealth services companies.

The Department of Justice noted in 2024 that Singh authorized around 11,000 prescriptions for approximately 3,000 Medicare beneficiaries, leading to over $8 million in claims billed to Medicare. Medicare disbursed approximately $4.47 million for these claims. Recent court filings indicate that Singh now faces $400,000 in restitution following the case's return to district court.