By Anne Ryman
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PHOENIX (KNXV) — Scott Keeling, a man who the Arizona Attorney General says used a fake diploma and portrayed himself as a psychologist, has been sentenced to a year and a half in prison.
On Thursday, a judge also set a restitution hearing for February 20, where Keeling could be ordered to pay back some of the funds the attorney general says he illegally received.
Court records allege Keeling and two other Valley businessmen were involved in an illegal scheme to defraud state Medicaid. The attorney general alleges Keeling ran a behavior therapy business in Phoenix and was unable to get approval to bill patients through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), which is the state’s Medicaid system for people with limited incomes. Court records allege AHCCCS was instead billed through another business owned by John Blaylock, whose company then paid Keeling and another individual, Elio Gaegea, “a percentage of those proceeds.”
“The total alleged amount of fraudulent billing is approximately $5 million,” the attorney general alleged in court records.
Keeling’s attorney, Herb Garcia, said Keeling maintains his innocence and had an attorney who looked over the business paperwork.
“He thought what he was doing was legal,” he said. But Arizona Assistant Attorney General Brett Harames said the arrangement was illegal.
Keeling previously agreed to plead “no contest” to two felony criminal charges, including fraudulent schemes. In exchange, three other felony charges were dropped.
Blaylock and Gaegea also face criminal charges and pleaded not guilty. Court hearings for the co-defendants are scheduled for later this month.
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Man who AG says used fake degree to pose as psychologist sentenced to 1.5 years in prison News Channel 3-12.
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