Glenview Psychologist Pamela Antell Sentenced to Prison for Billing Insurers and Medicare for Sessions That Never Happened

Case from 2018–2019 (U.S. Attorney's Office latest release: Sept. 9, 2019). Published on Scammers.com Oct. 16, 2026; case status is current as of that date.

Pamela Antell, also known as Pamela Gruenhut, a psychologist who ran a practice in Glenview, Illinois, was sentenced on Sept. 6, 2019, to six months in federal prison and fined $100,000 for submitting false claims to private insurers and Medicare for mental health services she never provided, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced [1]. She was also ordered to pay $1,464,810 in restitution.

How the scheme worked

According to prosecutors [1] [2]:

1. Phantom sessions: From 2011 to 2018, Antell billed private insurers and Medicare for therapy that was not rendered.
2. Non-patients: Some claims were for an individual who was not actually a patient.
3. Out of state: In other cases she was not in Illinois on the dates she claimed to have treated patients.
4. Obstruction attempt: She told a former patient to lie to investigators about how often sessions took place and about copayments.

The person sentenced

Pamela Antell (aka Pamela Gruenhut), 67 at sentencing, of Deerfield, Ill. [1]

• Indictment (announced Oct. 2, 2018): five counts of health care fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft; she pleaded not guilty at arraignment [2].
• Plea: pleaded guilty in 2019 to one count of health care fraud.
• Sentence (Sept. 6, 2019): six months in prison, a $100,000 fine and $1,464,810 in restitution, imposed by U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso.
• Investigation: FBI Chicago.

Red flags

• Explanation of Benefits statements listing therapy sessions on dates you weren't seen.
• A provider asking you to "confirm" a visit schedule or copayments that don't match your memory.
• Claims under your name from a provider you've never visited.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Read every EOB and Medicare Summary Notice and question any service you didn't receive.
2. Report suspected billing fraud to your insurer and, for Medicare, to HHS-OIG at oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud or 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
3. If a provider asks you to mislead investigators, don't — contact the investigating agency directly.

Case status (as of Oct. 16, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 16, 2026	Source
Pamela Antell (aka Pamela Gruenhut), Deerfield, Ill.	N.D. Ill. (Judge Alonso)	Indicted 2018; pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud in 2019; sentenced Sept. 6, 2019, to 6 months, $100,000 fine, $1,464,810 restitution	[1], [2]

The sentence was imposed in 2019; we have not found a source on any later proceedings.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "North Suburban Psychologist Sentenced to Prison for Billing for Nonexistent Services," Sept. 9, 2019. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/north-suburban-psychologist-sentenced-prison-billing-nonexistent-services
2. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "North Suburban Psychologist Indicted for Allegedly Billing Medicare and Private Insurers for Services Not Rendered," Oct. 2, 2018. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/north-suburban-psychologist-indicted-allegedly-billing-medicare-and-private-insurers

---

Corrections and updates: If you are named in this article, or represent someone who is, and believe anything here is inaccurate or out of date (including a dismissal, acquittal, or change in case status), please contact us at editorandchief@scammers.com. We will review it and update the article promptly.