Home » Michelle Forsythe Indicted in $483K Wire Fraud Scheme

Michelle Forsythe Indicted in $483K Wire Fraud Scheme

Ocala counselor accused of exploiting patient identities

by Sophia Bennett

OCALA, Fla. — A 61-year-old licensed mental health counselor from Ocala, Michelle Forsythe, has been indicted on 14 counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in a case involving nearly half a million dollars in fraudulent insurance claims.

U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced Forsythe’s arrest, detailing an alleged scheme in which she exploited the personal and insurance information of 22 unsuspecting individuals to defraud health insurance companies.

According to court records, between January 2016 and December 2022, Forsythe submitted numerous false claims for counseling sessions that never occurred. Investigators say she used names and policy information without the patients’ knowledge or consent, resulting in $483,511.44 in fraudulent payments being wired to her.

In one extreme case, Forsythe is accused of billing for services for an individual she had never even met.

If convicted, Forsythe faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the 14 wire fraud counts. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence. Authorities also intend to seize the money she allegedly gained through the fraudulent activity.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson is leading the prosecution.

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Privacy & Cookies Policy

Adblock Detected

Please support us by disabling your AdBlocker extension from your browsers for our website.