Fugitive Macomb Dentist Charged with Medicaid Fraud Is Captured in Dominican Republic

Dr. David Johnson

Who said dentists don't live exciting lives?

In May, the Michigan Attorney General's Office filed 27 felony charges against dentist Dr. David Johnson, of Chesterfield Township, in an alleged $1.7 million Medicaid fraud scheme while operating Livernois Dental in Detroit.

The charges prompted Johnson to flee the country. Last week, the U.S. Marshals Service caught the 51-year-old in the Dominican Republic.

Johnson is currently in custody in Miami and has waived extradition. He'll be transported back to Michigan in the coming weeks to be arraigned in the 54B District Court in Ingham County.

Johnson no longer owns Livernois Dental.

The Attorney General's Health Care Fraud Division began an investigation after receiving an allegation that Johnson was billing the Medicaid program using the identifying information of another dentist.

Johnson was placed on the Medicaid exclusion list following earlier Medicaid fraud convictions in 2006. The Medicaid exclusion list is a list of health care providers prohibited from billing the Medicaid program, the Attorney General's Office explained.

Johnson allegedly used an eligible doctor’s information to improperly bill $1.7 million over the course of three years.