Columbus doctor, clinic manager plead guilty in $1.6M Medicaid scheme
Ohio Attorney General
COLUMBUS — A Columbus doctor and his clinic’s office manager have pleaded guilty in connection with a scheme that defrauded Medicaid of more than $1.6 million, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson announced this week.
Dr. Patrick Muffley, 56, of Lewis Center, pleaded guilty on Oct. 19 to felony theft and Medicaid fraud charges in a bill of information in Franklin County. In a separate bill of information, Lisa Fillhart, 61, of Lima, pleaded guilty on the same day to Medicaid fraud and unlicensed practice of nursing.
“These defendants schemed to steal Medicaid dollars intended to help Ohioans in need,” Wilson said. “Excellent work by our team of investigators and prosecutors to expose this fraud and bring these criminals to justice.”
The attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the pair following a referral from the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office. Unit investigators uncovered widespread fraudulent billing activity tied to Muffley’s Columbus clinic, Embody Wellness Obstetrics and Gynecology, 5957 Cleveland Ave. The clinic primarily provided addiction-management services.
The investigation found that Muffley and Fillhart submitted more than 27,000 fraudulent Medicaid claims for telehealth services that weren’t provided, many of them on dates that Muffley never logged into the telehealth portal. Muffley falsified appointment records to substantiate the claims. From January 2021 through March 2026, the fraudulent billing led to a $1,645,052 loss to Medicaid.
Investigators also found that Fillhart misrepresented herself as a nurse and provided medical advice despite not being licensed to practice nursing. She was sentenced on Oct. 19 to 12 months of community control, with a potential 18-month prison sentence if she violates its terms.
Muffley has agreed to pay restitution before his sentencing, scheduled for Jan. 14. The Ohio Department of Medicaid suspended his provider agreement in September. A notice on the clinic’s website says the practice will close in the coming weeks.
Attorneys with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are prosecuting the case in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
The Ohio Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $17,798,161 for federal fiscal year 2027. The remaining 25% – totaling $5,932,720 for FY 2027 – is funded by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.