In Tucson, Arizona, a federal grand jury has charged a man and woman with plotting to steal millions of dollars from a federal non-profit health care service agency for tribal members.
An indictment made public on Monday claims that Kevin McKenzie, Apache Behavior Health Services’ COO, misappropriated large sums of money from the White Mountain Apache Tribe-created organization.
Prosecutors argued that the 47-year-old McKenzie had diverted a sum of around $15 million from a charity organization designed to assist Apache youth to his own pocket through a circumspect financial process. Additionally, Corina L. Martinez, aged 41 and the sister of McKenzie’s long-term companion, was also indicted on forty counts.
Along with the two counts of conspiracy to embezzle and embezzlement, the charges include wire fraud and a conspiracy to launder money.
Louis Fidel, the defense attorney, has expressed that McKenzie completely repudiates the charges against him and will fighting the charges. He further added that McKenzie’s work in the reservation has brought about a lot of positive changes for tribal members.
Hamilton, attorney for Martinez, expressed in a statement his client had “devoted much of her time to delivering behavioral health services to those who in need “. He also added that they will “vigorously defend Ms. Martinez and ensure her standing in the behavioral health sector remains intact”.
The U.S. District Court in Tucson scheduled a hearing for Martinez on the 5th of January and McKenzie on the 12th.
No link has been found between the current case and the significant fraud that has been levied against Arizona, costing the state hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds. Thousands of Native Americans who came from reservations and even other states to get treatment for addictions in rehabilitation facilities in Phoenix have regularly been left without a home due to the fraudulent billing practices.
In some situations, dishonest demands for repayment were predominantly made through the American Indian Health Program, a Medicaid health plan that permits providers to send invoices directly for payment of services rendered to Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
