Man gets 5 years for wheelchair fraud

A federal judge in Houston on Monday also ordered 55-year-old Edem James Etuk to repay nearly $1.6 million to Medicare and Medicaid.

Prosecutors say Etuk formerly owned PMS Medical Equipment Distributors.

Etuk in 2007 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud Medicare and health care fraud.

A federal jury in September convicted Dr. Michael D. Kim of Houston of conspiracy and 17 counts of health care fraud in a related investigation. Sentencing is Feb. 12.

Prosecutors say Etuk defrauded the government in a kickbacks and billing scam over motorized wheelchairs that were not required by Medicare beneficiaries, not delivered, or both.