RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina John Stuart Bruce Office announced that yesterday in federal court, SHEPHARD LEE SPRUILL, II, 46, of Winterville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud, and Perjury. Under the terms of a plea agreement, SPRUILL faces up to 15 years in prison, $500,000 in fines, and 3 years of supervised release. Under additional terms discussed in court, SPRUILLalso agreed to make restitution in the amount of $1,846,377 to the North Carolina Medicaid program, as well as additional restitution for any other fraud committed by or through Medicaid providers Pride in North Carolina, Carolina Support Services, Elite Care, Southern Support Services, One to One Youth, Vision of New Hope, Bridge Builders Youth Services, and Jameson Consultants.

According to the Criminal Information and evidence discussed in open court, SPRUILL entered into conspiracy with Terry Lamont Speller and Donnie Lee Phillips, II (both of whom are already imprisoned) to defraud Medicaid in connection with a clinic in Pitt County, known as “The Medical Office.” SPRUILL, who at that time was the president of a behavioral health practice named Carolina Support Services, had access to lists of patient names and Medicaid Identification Numbers. SPRUILL provided these to Speller and Phillips, who used them to fraudulently bill Medicaid for more than $2 Million in fictitious services. After Medicaid sent payment for the fake services to Speller, SPRUILL received his cut of the proceeds under the guise of loan repayments.

With respect to the charge of Perjury, the evidence showed that SPRUILL testified before a federal grand jury that he had no business relationship with Speller, and that he had no knowledge of why Medicaid payments were being split between Speller and SPRUILL. Under the plea agreement, SPRUILL admitted that he lied about these facts to the grand jury.

The investigation of this case was conducted by agents of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation assigned to the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office; The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. The investigation and prosecution of this matter is being handled in a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore of the Economic Crimes Division and Special Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Spillman of the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, represented the United States.

If you suspect Medicaid or Medicare fraud please visit the HHS OIG website at https://oig.hhs.gov/ and click on the Report Fraud button. To report Medicaid fraud in North Carolina, call the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division at 919-881-2320.