ATLANTA, GA – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today provided details on his office’s participation in the National Health Care Fraud Takedown, as announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on June 23, 2026. 

As part of the Takedown, Carr released a new federal indictment obtained by his Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. This indictment charges Murrell Rutledge, Jr., 52, of Atlanta, with 40 counts of Healthcare Fraud in connection with more than $4 million in false billings submitted to Georgia Medicaid. 

Carr also announced a new civil settlement with Avant Interventional Psychiatry and Dr. Okah Anyokwu, M.D. for $375,000.00 to resolve allegations of incorrectly billed psychiatric services to Georgia Medicaid. 

“We’re prosecuting fraud in all its forms, and we’re fighting to protect taxpayer dollars,” said Carr. “Let me be clear – if you steal from our Medicaid program, you will be held accountable and forced to pay back all the money you stole. This is a nationwide effort, and we’re proud to work with all of our state and federal partners to ensure the integrity of our publicly funded healthcare programs.” 

Case Summaries 

The federal indictment* against Rutledge alleges that he operated a medical practice known as Rutledge Medical Associates located in East Point, Georgia. As asserted in the indictment, between January 2017 and February 2023, Rutledge submitted and caused the submission of thousands of false and fraudulent claims to Georgia Medicaid for wound care services, allergy testing, and psychotherapy services never provided. As a result of the scheme, Rutledge and his practice are alleged to have received millions of dollars to which they were not entitled.This case is being prosecuted by Jim Mooney of the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, in his capacity as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cathelynn Tio of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. It was investigated by Carr’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The Georgia Department of Community Health also provided substantial assistance. 

The civil settlement* resolved allegations that Avant billed Georgia Medicaid for services as if they had been performed by Dr. Anyokwu when they had instead been rendered by other Avant employees, some of whom were not licensed or enrolled as Medicaid providers. This case was investigated by Carr’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division after receiving a referral from a private citizen and one of Georgia’s Care Management Organizations. Dr. Anyokwu substantially cooperated with the investigation after being contacted about the allegations. This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General James Champlin of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division.

About the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division 

Since Attorney General Chris Carr first took office, his Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division has secured more than 100 convictions for Medicaid fraud and the abuse, neglect and exploitation of older adults, resulting in nearly $26 million in restitution orders in criminal matters. Over this same period, Carr’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division has obtained civil settlements and judgements totaling more than $138 million as a result of its efforts to safeguard the Georgia Medicaid program. 

The Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $5,381,304 for Federal FY 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $1,793,768, is funded by the State of Georgia. 

*Members of the public should keep in mind that the indictment and settlement only contain allegations against the individuals and entities named. 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. The civil settlement contains no admissions of liability.