Former Chicago health care CEO pleads guilty in $1.8M fraud

CHICAGO (AP) - Federal prosecutors say the former CEO of a now-defunct Chicago health care company has pleaded guilty to fraudulently billing the government for $1.8 million.

Prosecutors said Friday that 44-year-Dike Ajiri of Wilmette pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. Prosecutors say the Chicago-based Mobile Doctors executive altered patient files so that the company could bill Medicare and the Railroad Retirement Board for patient visits at "the highest possible level." They say he did this even though he knew the visits didn't qualify for the maximum payments.

The company closed in 2013. It contracted with physicians to arrange in-home visits for patients in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and elsewhere.

Ajiri faces up to ten years in prison when he is sentenced April 19.