A Lawton man and his son indicted in federal court in an alleged health care scam to defraud TRICARE of more than $27 million have had their trial date pushed back to December.
Stewart Johnson, 72, and his son, Stephen Michael Johnson, 47, owners/operators of Johnson Medical Consulting d/b/a Combined Home Medical Equipment (CHME) in Lawton, are named in 43 charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
It is alleged that from January 2018 through December 2024, the Johnsons submitted more than 27,700 fraudulent claims to TRICARE for reimbursement for almost 653,000 “face-to-face” CPAP-related services that they “did not provide and were not qualified to provide.”
TRICARE is a health care program of the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System that provides coverage for active-duty service members, retirees, their families, and survivors. The Defense Health Agency oversees and administers TRICARE.
Both Johnsons are identified in court records as “a respiratory care practitioner and managing operator” of CHME.
The Johnsons filed a motion in Oklahoma City’s Western District federal court to continue their trial date. U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin granted the motion Aug. 10, one day before their jury trial originally was slated to begin, because “failure to grant a continuance would deny counsel the time reasonably necessary for effective preparation...”
Besides the numerous indictments, the federal government filed a forfeiture application against the Johnsons, seeking:
•A money judgment of $27,017,516.
•$1,559,779 in U.S. currency in three bank accounts, a credit union account, and three American Express accounts.
•A “premium” golf cart.
•Four pickup trucks.
•A “muscle car.”
•Four sport utility vehicles.
•One motorcycle valued at $17,000 to $35,000.
•A four-wheeler and a utility vehicle.
•Real estate located at 4 SW Deyo Mission Road, 903 SW 78th Street, and 602 SW Eden Place, all in Lawton.
Stephen Johnson was arraigned June 17, pleaded not guilty, and was released from custody on a $200,000 unsecured appearance bond. Stewart Johnson was arraigned June 30, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.
The maximum penalty for conviction of conspiracy to commit ware fraud, and for wire fraud, is 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The penalty for money laundering is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.