Port Huron doctor charged with Medicaid fraud

A Port Huron doctor was arraigned on Medicaid and health care fraud charges Tuesday.
Dr. Demian Naguib, 50, was arraigned in 54-B District Court in East Lansing on nine counts of Medicaid fraud, nine counts of health care fraud and one count of operating a criminal enterprise, according to online court records.

Darren Bartnik, assistant special agent in charge for the Detroit field office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Office of Investigation, confirmed Naguib was arrested Tuesday.
Bartnik said HHS was part of the investigation that led to Naguib’s arrest and arraignment. He declined to comment on details of the case.

Andrea Bitely, a spokeswoman for the state attorney general’s office, said the case was charged by Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office.

She said state statute allows the court venue to be in Ingham County when charges are Medicaid-related. Bitely said the court system also is closest to the Schuette’s office.
Bitely said Naguib is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary examination Dec. 17.

Further information on his charges was not immediately available.
In May 2013, the Neurology Clinic of Michigan, for which Naguib was a physician, was temporarily closed to accommodate an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the state of Michigan Attorney General’s Office and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

During the investigation, local and federal authorities were at the clinic offices at Port Huron Hospital Medical Building, 1231 Pine Grove Ave., interviewing people and gathering information.
Ginger VanNuck, a spokeswoman for McLaren Port Huron, said Naguib hasn’t practiced in the office building since June 2013. He relinquished his medical staff privileges from McLaren Port Huron in June 2014.

Laura Cottengim, a spokeswoman for Lake Huron Medical Center, said Naguib does not have clinical privileges at the hospital.

In court records, the date of the offense is listed as May 17, 2010.
The Fort Gratiot man was given a $50,000 personal recognizance bond.
In court records, Naguib’s lawyer was listed as Kevin Bessant.
Calls to Bessant and Naguib’s office were not immediately returned.