A plea has been entered by of the three defendants in a health care fraud case involving a Fenton Township doctor.

Dr. April Tyler, Patrick Wittbrodt and Jeffrey Fillmore were all charged last year in U.S. District Court in Detroit with 18 counts of conspiracy and health care fraud. Fillmore was also charged with money laundering. Tyler is an osteopathic physician who owns and operates Fenton Creative Healthcare on North Long Lake Road, while Wittbrodt and Fillmore both worked out of the clinic selling compounded creams and other services. The indictment alleged the three executed a scheme to defraud Medicare and other health insurers by submitting or causing others to submit false claims for prescription pain creams, scar creams, pain patches and vitamins authorized by Dr. Tyler.

While she and Fillmore are scheduled for trial August 5th, court records show that Wittbrodt entered a guilty plea to a single count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud last month and will be sentenced July 11th.

Authorities say Fillmore had acquaintances and personal contacts with the UAW through his job and various family members, while Wittbrodt had business connections with multiple pharmacies which he used to receive kickbacks for directing prescriptions to them. The three allegedly scheduled time at various UAW meetings to tout the products. Dr. Tyler is accused of authorizing the prescriptions without a valid doctor patient relationship including physical exam or corresponding office visit.

If convicted, Tyler and Fillmore face up to ten years in prison on the felony counts, which each carry fines of up to $250,000. (JK)