A Fulton County Grand Jury returned indictments on November 22, 2011, against Nathaniel Johnson, III, Jeff Romeus and Jasmin Tunica-El in Fulton County Superior Court. Johnson is an obstetrician and gynecologist, who owned and operated Regency Professional Services for Women (Regency). Romeus and Tunica-El were employed by Johnson at Regency.

The charges allege that between 2004 and 2008, Johnson, Romeus and Tunica-El fraudulently billed Medicaid using Johnson’s provider number for more services than were provided and for services that were not rendered. The charges also allege that Johnson knowingly permitted Romeus to practice medicine at Regency between 2005 and 2008 without a valid license under the laws of the State of Georgia.

Johnson, Romeus and Tunica-El are charged with one count of Medicaid Fraud (O.C.G.A. § 49-4-146.1(b)), a felony punishable by up to ten years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.00, and one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the State (O.C.G.A. § 16-10-21), a felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment. Johnson and Romeus are charged with Practicing Medicine without a License (O.C.G.A. § 43-34-22), a felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000.00.

Senior Assistant Attorney General D. Williams-McNeely is prosecuting the case on behalf of the State of Georgia. The case was investigated by Investigator Tiffany Reed, Auditor Kim Kolesnik, Investigative Nurse Cynthia Vassell and Criminal Analyst Vanda Russell of the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Agent Merlin Ector of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual(s) against whom the indictment is sought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government’s burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.