Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: Mike Bothwell
Profession: Qui Tam Attorney

Category: Qui Tam Legal News

Former CEO of Church of Christ Care Center, Stephen Czekiel, has been charged with three counts of violating Michigan's Medicaid False Claims Act, all of which are felony charges. Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox believes Czekiel knowingly presented and caused false claims to be submitted to the State's Medicate Program.

After receiving an anonymous complaint regarding Czekiel's fraudulent spending activities, the Michigan Department of Community Health conducted an audit of Church of Christ Care Center's cost report for January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2004 and discovered that Czekiel had misappropriated approximately $88,000 for personal expenses, including repairs to his personal vehicles, propane to heat his personal residence, and satellite television services. The cost report the state used to discover the fraud is submitted by nursing homes annually per state law and is used to determine a nursing home's Medicaid reimbursement rate.