Cleveland Reporter

An Ohio doctor, Timothy Sutton, has admitted guilt in a healthcare fraud conspiracy involving unwarranted medical prescriptions and claims to Medicare. Sutton, from North Ridgeville, Ohio, worked for two telemedicine companies, Real Time Physicians, LLC, in Nevada, and 24 Hour Virtual MD, LLC, in Florida. According to the court documents, Sutton and his co-conspirators fraudulently billed Medicare for over $14.5 million.

The doctor approved pre-prepared orders for durable medical equipment (DME) like braces and cancer genetic testing (CGX) without examining the patients, who were based in Ohio and Florida. Sutton falsely claimed to have examined the patients via a telemedicine platform to justify the necessity of these prescriptions.

Once Sutton signed off on these orders, the telemedicine companies either directed the orders to their controlled entities or sold them to other medical firms for execution. The fraudulent activity resulted in Medicare receiving claims that were neither reasonable nor necessary, and which violated rules and regulations.

Sutton pleaded guilty on April 4, 2025, to charges including conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, false health care statements, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he could face up to 27 years in prison. His sentencing is set for July 26, 2025, with the federal district court judge considering several factors before the final determination.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General and the FBI's Cleveland Division led the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Om Kakani and Rebecca Lutzko in the Northern District of Ohio.

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