Gordon Peppers sometimes billed the state up to 529 hours a month claiming to care for elderly and disabled persons

A Lane County man was sentenced today to 13 months in prison for health care fraud.

“Health care fraud is major problem,” said Keith Dubanevich, Chief of Staff and Special Counsel to Attorney General John Kroger. “Cracking down on health care fraud is a priority for the Oregon Department of Justice.”

Gordon Lamar Peppers Jr., 43, of Lane County, Oregon was convicted today of one count of Making a False Claim for Health Care Payment and five counts of Theft in the First Degree. 

Lane County Circuit Judge Karsten H. Rasmussen sentenced Peppers to 13 months prison and ordered him to pay $32,555.85 in restitution. 

Peppers, a Medicaid-funded Home Care Worker, claimed that he was caring for four Medicaid recipients and billed the state up to 529 hours a month from July of 2009 to April of 2011.  In addition to working as a home care worker, Peppers was employed as a youth soccer coach for several teams. The scam was discovered by a Lane Council of Government office case manager, who referred the matter to the Oregon Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Unit (MFU) for investigation.  An MFU investigation revealed that Peppers worked only a small fraction of the number of hours for which he billed. Peppers received more than $30,000 in fraudulent billing.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Ballard prosecuted the case for the Oregon Department of Justice.  

Attorney General John Kroger leads the Oregon Department of Justice. The Department’s mission is to fight crime and fraud, protect the environment, improve child welfare, promote a positive business climate, and defend the rights of all Oregonians.

Contact:

Tony Green, (503) 378-6002 tony.green@doj.state.or.us |