Each count is a 4-year felony additionally punishable by a fine of $50,000.
Merriewether had operated Perfectus Consulting Inc. in Detroit since 2019. Merriewether and Perfectus were enrolled Medicaid providers, and the business offered general life counseling services, primarily to children.
It is alleged that Perfectus employed “therapeutic mentors,” unlicensed individuals, to provide services to the beneficiaries, presumably under the “supervision” of individuals with degrees and licensure, as a Master of Social Work degree would be required to provide such services.
After receiving an initial complaint, the Department of Attorney General conducted an extensive investigation leading to today's charges, alleging Merriewether billed the Medicaid program for services that did not take place.
The defendant was granted a $50,000 personal recognizance bond. He is next due in court on February 23rd for a probable cause conference.
The attorney general’s Health Care Fraud Division (HCFD) handled this case for the Department.
The HCFD is the federally certified Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for Michigan, and it receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $5,541,992 for the fiscal year 2024. The remaining 25% percent, totaling $1,847,326 is funded by the State of Michigan.
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