27,000 Telehealth Visits That Didn't Happen: Columbus Doctor and Clinic Manager Plead Guilty in Medicaid Fraud

Published Oct. 26, 2026. Case statuses are current as of that date.

Telehealth made it easier for many patients, especially those in addiction treatment, to keep up with appointments. Ohio prosecutors say a Columbus clinic used the same convenience to bill Medicaid for tens of thousands of visits that never took place.

On Oct. 19, 2026, Dr. Patrick Muffley, 56, of Lewis Center, and his clinic's office manager, Lisa Fillhart, 61, of Lima, pleaded guilty in Franklin County in connection with a scheme that cost Medicaid more than $1.6 million, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson announced on Oct. 21 [1].

How the scheme worked

According to the attorney general's office [1]:

1. The clinic. Muffley ran Embody Wellness Obstetrics and Gynecology, 5957 Cleveland Ave. in Columbus, which primarily provided addiction-management services.
2. Phantom telehealth claims. Muffley and Fillhart submitted more than 27,000 fraudulent Medicaid claims for telehealth services that weren't provided. Many were for dates on which Muffley never logged into the telehealth portal.
3. Falsified records. Muffley falsified appointment records to back up the claims.
4. Posing as a nurse. Investigators found that Fillhart misrepresented herself as a nurse and gave medical advice even though she was not licensed to practice nursing.

The fraudulent billing ran from January 2021 through March 2026 and caused a $1,645,052 loss to Medicaid. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated after a referral from the Ohio Auditor of State's Office [1].

"These defendants schemed to steal Medicaid dollars intended to help Ohioans in need," Wilson said [1].

Medicaid fraud is often thought of as a crime against taxpayers alone. But billing for care that never happened can leave patients with medical records showing treatment they didn't receive, and patients in addiction care may be told they were seen by a licensed professional when they were not.

The people convicted and their status

• Dr. Patrick Muffley, 56, of Lewis Center, Ohio. Pleaded guilty Oct. 19, 2026, to felony theft and Medicaid fraud charges in a bill of information in Franklin County. He has agreed to pay restitution before sentencing, which is scheduled for Jan. 14. The Ohio Department of Medicaid suspended his provider agreement in September, and a notice on the clinic's website says the practice will close in the coming weeks, according to the attorney general's office [1].
• Lisa Fillhart, 61, of Lima, Ohio, office manager. Pleaded guilty Oct. 19, 2026, in a separate bill of information, to Medicaid fraud and unlicensed practice of nursing. She was sentenced the same day to 12 months of community control, with a potential 18-month prison sentence if she violates its terms [1].

Attorneys with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are prosecuting the case in Franklin County Common Pleas Court [1].

Red flags of telehealth billing fraud

• Bills or benefit statements for visits you didn't have, or for more visits than you attended.
• Appointments marked "completed" when the provider never joined the video call or phone session.
• A staff member who gives medical advice but won't state their license or credentials.
• Pressure to sign blank or pre-filled forms confirming services.
• A provider who discourages you from looking at your own records or explanation of benefits.

What to do if you suspect fraud

1. Review your explanation of benefits or Medicaid statements and compare them with the visits you actually had.
2. Ask who you're seeing. You have the right to know a provider's name and license; nurses and doctors can be checked through the Ohio Board of Nursing and State Medical Board of Ohio license lookups, or your state's equivalent.
3. Keep your own record of appointment dates and who attended.
4. Report suspected Medicaid fraud in Ohio to the Ohio Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. In other states, contact your state's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit or the HHS Office of Inspector General.
5. Report consumer scams generally to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Case status (as of Oct. 26, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status	Source
Dr. Patrick Muffley, 56, of Lewis Center, Ohio (Embody Wellness Obstetrics and Gynecology)	Franklin County Common Pleas Court (Ohio AG Medicaid Fraud Control Unit)	Pleaded guilty Oct. 19, 2026, to felony theft and Medicaid fraud; agreed to pay restitution before sentencing; sentencing scheduled Jan. 14, 2027	[1]
Lisa Fillhart, 61, of Lima, Ohio, office manager	Franklin County Common Pleas Court	Pleaded guilty Oct. 19, 2026, to Medicaid fraud and unlicensed practice of nursing; sentenced Oct. 19 to 12 months of community control	[1]

Statuses can change. The release gives Muffley's sentencing date as "Jan. 14"; we read that as Jan. 14, 2027.

Sources

1. Ohio Attorney General, "Columbus Doctor, Clinic Manager Plead Guilty in $1.6M Medicaid Scheme," Oct. 21, 2026. https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/October-2026/Columbus-Doctor-Clinic-Manager-Plead-Guilty-in-$1

---

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.