United States v. $455,273.72 in Funds From Bank of America Checking Account 001920677376, Held in the Name of the Voice of Social Concern Association, Inc

District Court, District of Columbia·Decided September 26, 2011·No. Civil Action No. 2005-0356·Published

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, )

)

v. ) Civil Action No. 05-356 )

$455,273.72 IN FUNDS FROM ) BANK OF AMERICA CHECKING ) ACCOUNT #0019-2067-7376 ) HELD IN THE NAME OF THE ) VOICE OF SOCIAL CONCERN ) ASSOCIATION, INC., et al., )

)

Defendants. )

)

MEMORANDUM OPINION

This action involves property that plaintiff, the federal government, alleges is forfeitable. The facts that form the basis of this civil in rem action are identical to those that formed the basis for the criminal prosecution and subsequent conviction of claimant Akube Wuromoni Ndoromo (a/k/a Akiuber Ndoromo James) for health care fraud and money laundering. See Criminal Case No. 06-19. The government contends that the defendant property is subject to forfeiture because, among other things, the jury in claimant’s criminal action determined that the defendant funds and the defendant vehicles were traceable to the health care fraud and money laundering offenses. Pending before the Court is the government’s motion for summary judgment. Upon consideration of the motion, the response and reply thereto, the applicable law, and the entire record, the

Court concludes that plaintiff is entitled to summary judgment on Counts I and IV of the Verified Complaint. 1 Accordingly, and for the reasons stated herein, the Court GRANTS plaintiff’s motion. I. Background On or about January 10, 2001, Voice of Social Concern Association, Inc. (“VSCA”) became a D.C. Medicaid transportation provider, eligible to receive reimbursements from Medicaid for the provision of non-emergency transportation of Medicaid recipients. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 5. 2 Claimant Ndoromo was the

1 Plaintiff only requested summary judgment as to Counts I and IV of the complaint (health care fraud and money laundering, respectively). The other counts in the complaint relate to mail fraud (Count II) and wire fraud (Count III). The Court will note, however, that the government did not pursue mail fraud charges against claimant in Criminal Case No. 06-19. See Pl.’s SMF ¶¶ 21-22. With respect to wire fraud, the Court will further note that the government moved to dismiss the wire fraud counts from the Superseding Indictment. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 23 n.4. In view of the government’s inaction on these charges in claimant’s criminal case, as well as the fact that the government asked the Court to enter “judgment in its favor” in this action, see Pl.’s Mot. at 2, the Court hereby, sua sponte, dismisses Counts II and III of the complaint for lack of prosecution subject to a motion for reconsideration for good cause shown by no later than October 10, 2011. 2 This background section is taken from plaintiff’s “Statement of Material Facts as to Which There is No General Dispute,” Docket No. 52, to which claimant Ndoromo failed to specifically respond. The Court will note that it advised claimant Ndoromo that, with respect to plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment, “‘any factual assertions in the movant’s affidavits will be accepted as being true unless [he] submit[ted] his own affidavits or other documentary evidence contradicting the assertion.’” Docket No. 59 (quoting Neal v.

President/Chief Executive Officer of VSCA. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 6. VSCA’s business address, 3636 16th Street NW, Apartment B1235, Washington, DC 20010, also served as Mr. Ndoromo’s residence. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 7.

Mr. Ndoromo and VSCA engaged in a scheme to defraud D.C.

Medicaid by preparing and submitting false claims for transportation services. Specifically, Mr. Ndoromo and VSCA would submit claims stating that it had provided transportation services to Medicaid beneficiaries, when, in fact, no such services had been rendered. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 8 (citing Criminal Case No. 06-19, Docket No. 37 (“Verdict”)). Mr. Ndoromo completely controlled VSCA’s bank accounts and signed D.C. Medicaid’s Electronic Data Interchange (“EDI”) [Direct Deposit] Enrollment Application as VSCA’s Chief Financial Officer/Authorized Representative. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 9. Mr. Ndoromo signed claims purporting to document transportation services provided to beneficiaries and then submitted them to Affiliated Computer

Kelly, 963 F.2d 453 (D.C. Cir. 1992)). As claimant Ndoromo failed to respond to plaintiff’s statement of material facts, the Court may deem plaintiff’s facts as conceded. See Local Rule 7(h)(1) (“In determining a motion for summary judgment, the court may assume that facts identified by the moving party in its statement of material facts are admitted, unless such a fact is controverted in the statement of genuine issues filed in opposition to the motion.”). The Court will note, however, that the government’s statement of material facts is primarily derived from (i) claimant’s answer in this case and (ii) the jury verdicts in claimant’s related criminal action.

Services (“ACS”), the company that handled billing for the District of Columbia’s Medicaid Program. Pl.’s SMF ¶¶ 10, 4.

In response to claims submitted by Mr. Ndoromo on behalf of VSCA, D.C. Medicaid mailed approximately ninety-nine checks to Mr. Ndoromo at his residence. These Medicaid checks were deposited into VSCA’s Bank of America, N.A. (“BOA”) checking account number 0019 2067 7376. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 11. D.C. Medicaid also sent reimbursements directly by wire to VSCA’s BOA checking account number 0019 2067 7376, which Mr. Ndoromo controlled. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 12. D.C. Medicaid paid VSCA at least $1,550,767.46 for transportation services. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 13.

On December 20, 2004, a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of Columbia issued four seizure warrants. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 14. One warrant authorized seizure of a “2004 Land Rover, Discovery II, Sport Utility Vehicle, DC Tag CB2367, VIN SALTR19434A829815 registered in the name of [Ndoromo].” Pl.’s SMF ¶ 14 (citing Seizure Warrant, Mag. No. 04-M-796). 3 A second warrant authorized seizure of a “2001 Chevrolet 3500 Express Van, DC Tag B40149, Vehicle Identification Number 1GAHG39R211120100.” Pl.’s SMF ¶ 14 (citing Seizure Warrant,

3 On July 19, 2004, Mr. Ndoromo wrote a $35,000 check from VSCA’s BOA checking account number 0019 2067 7376 for the entire purchase price of the defendant Land Rover. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 20.

Mag. No. 04-M-797). 4 A third warrant authorized seizure of “[a]ny and all funds in the following accounts at [BOA], held in the name of [VSCA]: (1) #0019 2067 7376 (checking account); (2) #910 000 0658 0436 (CD account); (3) #910 000 0665 2911 (CD account); and (4) #910 000 1557 3214 (CD account); and [a]ny and all funds in [BOA], checking account #0019 2315 5727, held in the name of [Ndoromo].” Pl.’s SMF ¶ 14 (citing Seizure Warrant, Mag. No. 04-M-798 (D.D.C. December 20, 2004)). 5 A fourth warrant authorized seizure of “[a]ny and all funds in the following

4 Between January 22, 2002 and March 18, 2003, Mr. Ndoromo wrote sixteen checks totaling $25,322.87, from the VSCA’s BOA checking account number 0019 2067 7376 to GMAC to make payments on the defendant Chevrolet Express. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 20. 5 Mr. Ndoromo opened, in the name of VSCA, three CD accounts at BOA: (1) account number 910 000 0658 0436; (2) account number 910 000 0665 2911; and (3) account number 910 000 1557 3214. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 17. The funds deposited into those CD accounts were either directly transferred from VSCA’s BOA checking account number 0019 2067 7376, or originated from that account. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 17. Specifically, on January 16, 2002, $20,000 was transferred into account number 910 000 0658 0436. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 17. On April 23, 2003, $50,000 was transferred into account number 910 000 0665 2911. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 17. And on September 15, 2003, $100,000 was transferred into account number 910 000 1557 3214. Pl.’s SMF ¶ 17.

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United States v. $455,273.72 in Funds From Bank of America Checking Account 001920677376, Held in the Name of the Voice of Social Concern Association, Inc, (D.D.C. 2011).

United States v. $455,273.72 in Funds From Bank of America Checking Account 001920677376, Held in the Name of the Voice of Social Concern Association, Inc (United States v. $455,273.72 in Funds From Bank of America Checking Account 001920677376, Held in the Name of the Voice of Social Concern Association, Inc) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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