Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Drake on Tuesday announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and a Missouri psychiatrist have reached a $501,556 civil settlement that will resolve False Claims Act allegations.
The settlement resolves allegations that from January 1, 2019, through May 31, 2024, Dr. Mohd Azfar Malik falsely indicated to both Medicare and Missouri Medicaid that he provided face-to-face psychotherapy to patients, including by submitting false claims for payment when he was out of town and for services that were provided by other practitioners.
Dr. Malik was part-owner of Behavioural Health Services, LLC, which owned and operated Psych Care Consultants in St. Louis, Missouri.
The settlement consists of $250,778 in restitution, which is doubled under the FCA. The civil settlement contains no admission of liability.
In April 2025, Dr. Malik pleaded guilty to making false statements in federal healthcare-related matters and admitted to submitting claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers, falsely claiming to have performed in-person services when he was out of Missouri or out of the country.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11.
“Holding health care professionals accountable for submitting false claims for financial gain is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring that critical resources are appropriately utilised,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate our efforts to protect the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
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