2 Canfield women indicted in Medicare, government fraud

CLEVELAND -- A federal grand jury has indicted two Canfield women, charging them and others with taking part in a scheme to defraud Medicare by creating a network of companies associated with the now-closed Youngstown Osteopathic Hospital.
Maryann Barnett, 64, of Tippecanoe Road, and Patricia Macejko, 59, of Killdeer Drive, are charged with conspiracy to defraud the government, Medicare fraud, false statements and money laundering.
The indictment alleges that the defendants, including Richard B. White, 59, of Louisiana, Michael B. Suhadolnik, 46, of Chardon, and Raul Sanchez deVarona, 38, of Florida, created a network of companies designed to produce profits for them, not YOH. White, Suhadolnik and deVarona are also charged with wire fraud.
White, hired by YOH as a financial and management consultant in 1996, set up the network with financial assistance of the hospital. Five clinics in Florida set up by White paid him management fees, the government said.
The defendants are accused of using Pathways Center for Geriatric Psychiatry, located inside YOH, to defraud Medicare. They diverted the Medicare funds to the Florida clinics, the government said.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 fines.
The case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General in Cleveland and the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation Unit in Youngstown. The case is being prosecuted by James C. Lynch and Richard H. Blake, assistant U.S. attorneys.