A Lewis Center doctor pleaded guilty to defrauding Ohio's Medicaid program, agreeing to repay more than $1.6 million after submitting thousands of fake telehealth claims.

Patrick Muffley, 56, entered his guilty plea Oct. 19 on felony theft and Medicaid fraud charges in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, according to Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson's office, as reported by 10TV. Clinic manager Lisa Fillhart, 61, of Lima, pleaded guilty the same day to Medicaid fraud and unlicensed practice of nursing.

The pair ran Embody Wellness Obstetrics and Gynecology, a Columbus clinic at 5957 Cleveland Ave. that primarily provided addiction-management services, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Between January 2021 and March 2026, Muffley and Fillhart submitted more than 27,000 fraudulent Medicaid claims for telehealth visits that never took place, prosecutors said. On some of those dates, Muffley was never logged into the telehealth portal. He also falsified appointment records to support the claims.

Total losses to Medicaid reached $1,645,052.

The investigation began after a referral from the Ohio Auditor of State's office, which flagged the clinic's billing activity. The attorney general's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) handled the case and is prosecuting it in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Investigators also found Fillhart had represented herself as a nurse and provided medical advice without a nursing license, according to the attorney general's investigation.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Andy Miller sentenced Fillhart. 10TV described her sentence as 12 months of community control with a potential 18-month prison term if she violates its terms. The Dispatch reported she received a year of probation.

"These defendants schemed to steal Medicaid dollars intended to help Ohioans in need," Wilson said in a statement.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid suspended Muffley's provider agreement in September. As part of his plea deal, Muffley must pay full restitution before his sentencing hearing, scheduled for Jan. 14, 2027.