A man charged by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office for Medicaid fraud has been apprehended.

In April, Nnanna Mba, formerly of Puyallup, was charged with 17 counts of theft for billing Medicaid for medical supplies that were never given to beneficiaries. When Mba failed to appear in court for his arraignment, the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) obtained a warrant for his arrest.

At the time, sources told Assistant Attorney General Dannette Allen and Investigator Larry Carlier that Mba had fled the U.S. Acting on that information, MFCU coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security to check his travel history. They learned that Mba had indeed left the U.S.  The Attorney General’s Office coordinated with federal authorities to make sure that he would be apprehended and extradited if he tried to return. When he did just that on Dec. 1, federal and state law enforcement officers were ready. Mba was caught by US Customs and Border Patrol at Houston International Airport and handed over to local police.

Mba was extradited from Texas to Washington state by the Thurston County Sherriff’s Office and arraigned on Dec. 13, 2012 in Thurston County Superior Court. Bail was set at $100,000 and Mba was required to surrender his passports.

Mba operated Pacesetters Medical Equipment.  He is charged with billing Medicaid for incontinent supplies that were not provided to 17 Medicaid recipients, resulting in $106,730.64 in Medicaid payments to Mr. Mba to which he was not entitled.

His trial is scheduled for Feb. 4, 2013.