Eastern Carolina Behavioral Health CEO Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Expansive Multistate Healthcare Fraud

NC 2026 Behavioral Health
OIG Healthcare Fraud
Penalty
$6 million

Outcome

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Details

Eastern Carolina Behavioral Health CEO Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Expansive Multistate Healthcare Fraud — $5,998,874 Criminal

Outcome: Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

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RALEIGH - United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that yesterday afternoon in federal court, SHEPHARD LEE SPRUILL, 47, of Greenville, North Carolina, was sentenced to 96 months in prison on the charge of Health Care Fraud Conspiracy, and 60 months in prison for Perjury, to be served concurrently. Spruill was also ordered to make restitution in the total amount of $5,998,874.86, payable to the North Carolina Medicaid Program, the South Carolina Medicaid Program, and another victim of the scheme. Spruill was further ordered to serve a three year term of supervised release, and to forfeit an additional $939,989.50 in criminal proceeds. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Spruill is also banned from participation in Federal healthcare benefit programs for life.

HHS Office of Inspector General

How Crucible Prevents This

Crucible's compliance monitoring controls for Behavioral Health / SUD Treatment would have detected the patterns underlying this violation through automated screening, documentation enforcement, and real-time alert escalation.

Source: Eastern Carolina Behavioral Health CEO Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Expansive Multistate Healthcare Fraud

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