Two former owners of 1st Adult N Pediatric Healthcare, Kafomdi “Josephine” Okocha and Samuel Okocha, both from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty in Lynchburg, Virginia to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. They each face up to eight years in prison at sentencing.
The case involves charges filed in March 2025 against the Okochas as well as Carolyn Bryant-Taylor of Clinton, Maryland; Shekita Gore (also known as Shekita Steele) of Clinton, Maryland; Elizabeth Ilome and Eno Utuk, both from Stafford, Virginia. Bryant-Taylor pleaded guilty last week to similar charges. The other defendants still have pending charges.
According to court documents, Bryant-Taylor, Josephine Okocha, and Samuel Okocha owned and operated 1st Adult N Pediatric Healthcare Service. The agency was enrolled with Medicaid and provided private duty nursing, personal care, and respite care services throughout Virginia—including the Western District of Virginia. Gore was the director of nursing for the agency. Utuk and Ilome worked there providing nursing and personal care.
Authorities say the group conspired to submit false claims to Medicaid for services not actually provided. This included falsifying records and documentation used to support fraudulent reimbursement claims.
Between 2017 and 2023, prosecutors allege that Bryant-Taylor and Josephine Okocha arranged payments for parents or guardians of patients in exchange for blank signed nursing notes. These notes were then completed later to support billing Medicaid for services either not performed or exaggerated beyond what was actually delivered.
“Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia; Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Farina of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.”
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation together with the Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The United States Department of Health and Human Services also assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Jones and Laura Taylor are prosecuting the case along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Terry from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.
