Two Georgia Men Charged in National Health Care Fraud Takedown

ATLANTA - Today, United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg announced criminal charges against two defendants for health care fraud schemes that exploited Medicare, Medicaid, and health care providers. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice's 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from services not rendered and services misrepresented that were billed to health care programs, including Medicare and the Georgia Medicaid program. In total, the defendants in the two cases are alleged to have obtained $2.7 million through fraud.

"These defendants exploited our health care system to enrich themselves," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Not only did they steal from taxpayers, but they also harmed Medicare and Medicaid's ability to provide critical health care benefits to patients in need. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice criminals who prey on government health care programs."

"We're prosecuting fraud in all its forms, and we're fighting to protect taxpayer dollars," said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. "Let me be clear - if you steal from our Medicaid program, you will be held accountable and forced to pay back all the money you stole. This is a nationwide effort, and we're proud to work with all of our state and federal partners to ensure the integrity of our publicly funded healthcare programs."

"Medicare and Medicaid funds are intended to provide essential services to some of our most vulnerable populations. When individuals exploit these programs for personal gain, they not only steal taxpayer dollars but also compromise the integrity of these programs," said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "Working with our federal and state partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who defraud the Medicare and Medicaid programs."

The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Hertzberg are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. This Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: charges in 56 federal districts and involving 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a $1.2 billion telemedicine scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; seize over $182 million in cash, houses, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and provide full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor's offices to corporate boardrooms.

This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:

• Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
• 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
• Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
• 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.

The two individuals charged in the Northern District of Georgia in connection with the nationwide Takedown are Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr. and Lonnie Releford.

Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr.

On June 17, 2026, the United States moved to unseal a federal indictment charging Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr., 52, of Atlanta, Georgia, with 40 counts of health care fraud. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Rutledge established Rutledge Medical Associates, a medical practice located in East Point, Georgia, in May 2014. Beginning in or about January 2017 and continuing for at least six years, Rutledge billed Georgia Medicaid for thousands of wound care, cyst removal, psychotherapy, and allergy testing services that were never performed:

• Between in or about February 2019 and in or about June 2022, Rutledgesubmitted and caused to be submitted nearly 900 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly excising and removing complex pilonidal cysts.
• Between in or about January 2018 and in or about June 2022, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted nearly 1,500 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly completing the incision and drainage of deep abscesses or hematomas.
• Between in or about July 2017 and in or about March 2023, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted nearly 7,900 false and fraudulent claims for extended, face-to-face psychotherapy sessions.
• Between in or about January 2017 and in or about June 2022, Rutledge submitted and caused to be submitted over 1,000 false and fraudulent claims for purportedly completing medically unnecessary percutaneous allergy tests.

These false and fraudulent claims sought $4.3 million from Georgia Medicaid, with approximately $2.6 million actually being paid out.

Lonnie Releford

On June 11, 2026, Lonnie Releford, 57, of Atlanta, Georgia, was charged in a federal criminal information with one count of concealment of material facts related to health care matters. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From August 2021 to April 2025, Releford allegedly applied for and obtained nursing jobs at hospitals and nursing homes around metro Atlanta by lying about his educational and professional qualifications, submitting fraudulent documents, and stealing the identity of a real licensed practical nurse. Releford did not have a nursing degree, nor was he qualified to practice as a licensed practical nurse in Georgia. When asked about his criminal history, Releford allegedly falsely stated he had none, despite his prior convictions for identity theft and fraud. Based on these alleged misrepresentations, numerous health care providers paid Releford's salary and billed Medicare and Medicaid for services Releford could not legally perform.

The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit's National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General's Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.

Descriptions of each case involved in today's enforcement action are available on the Department's website here.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cathelynn Tio and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Mooney are prosecuting the case against Rutledge, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Robinson Jr. is prosecuting the case against Releford. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia worked with the Georgia Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment against Rutledge and information against Releford only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt or admit guilt in a court of law.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ("Fraud Division"). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.