Salim Dahdah, who owned and operated the Ohio Institute of Cardiac Care in Springfield, died in May of complications from pancreatic cancer, according to his obituary. He and his wife were due for a sentencing hearing in the case on May 29, according to court records, but Salim Dahdah died on May 24.
The hearing was postponed at the time, according to court records, and the hearing was rest by U.S. Federal Court Judge Christin Werner on June 26.
The two pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and health care false statements, according to court documents from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division in Columbus.
The Dahdahs entered their pleas in October. Their pleas had been anticipated by prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Affeldt said at the time.
A July 2017 federal indictment accused them of unlawfully taking in more than $2 million by billing, or causing billing to be submitted, for medically unnecessary medical tests and procedures.
They were among more than 400 indicted in what the U.S. Justice Department called a health care fraud takedown.
Salim Dahdah was suspended by the Ohio Department of Medicaid Feb. 4, 2015, as part of that investigation, according to a letter obtained by the Springfield News-Sun.
“ODM has determined that a credible allegation of fraud exists based on evidence that you and OICC submitted claims for reimbursement for medically unnecessary nuclear medicine test(s),” the letter states. Nuclear medicine tests are common diagnostic tests which use a radioactive substance to take images of the body.
OICC’s West First Street office was searched by law enforcement officers Jan. 21, 2015 part of an investigation involving the Ohio Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud section, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General.
Previously: Doctor being investigated for fraud suspended from Medicaid
The practices offices in Springfield and Englewood had shut down after the indictments were filed.
For Cindy Dahdah’s sentencing, an ordered filed by Werner tells attorneys that he expects them to file motions and memorandums before the filing date.
“No other memoranda or motions pertaining to sentencing shall be filed without leave of court,” the document says.
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