HOUSTON, TX — Three women linked to Houston-based United Hospice & Palliative Care (UPHC) are facing federal charges for their roles in a massive Medicare and Medicaid fraud scheme, allegedly defrauding the government of over $87 million.
The accused include UPHC owner Dera Ogudo, employee Victoria Martinez, and Evelyn Shaw, a psychiatric hospital worker. According to court documents, the trio conspired to enroll individuals—many of whom were not terminally ill—into hospice services to fraudulently claim federal funds.
The indictment, as reported by ABC-13 Houston, also refers to an unnamed physician who allegedly received kickbacks for referring patients to UPHC.
“Ogudo and her co-conspirators preyed on vulnerable residents of group homes by enrolling them in hospice services with UPHC when they were not terminally ill,” the indictment stated.
Prosecutors allege that Ogudo and her associates operated several group homes across the Houston area, housing elderly, disabled, and mentally ill patients who were then exploited for fraudulent claims.
The case is part of a growing trend in hospice fraud, especially in states like Texas, California, Nevada, and Arizona. Authorities say scammers often operate both hospice agencies and group homes, giving them access to vulnerable patients who are enrolled in services without their knowledge or need.
In many such cases, patients receive little to no care despite being billed under hospice codes, a violation that not only drains taxpayer money but also endangers patient welfare.
