Tekiyah McLeod Pleads Guilty to $477,872 in Medicaid Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, What Happens Next

Tekiyah McLeod, 34, of Magnolia, Texas, has pleaded guilty in federal court to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft after admitting she billed Medicaid approximately $477,872 for mental health therapy services that were never provided, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.

McLeod was the registered agent for nLove Community Services LLC. Prosecutors say she also used a nurse practitioner’s name and National Provider Identifier (NPI) to submit fraudulent claims without that practitioner’s knowledge or consent. Sentencing is set for December 16, 2026, and she remains on bond.

Short answer for the public: this is a federal criminal case, not a class action. There is no claim form, settlement fund or payout for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Quick Facts: Tekiyah McLeod Medicaid Fraud Case

Detail	Information
Defendant	Tekiyah McLeod, 34, Magnolia, Texas
Business	nLove Community Services LLC
Court	U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division
Judge	U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison
Plea	Guilty to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft
Fraudulent billing admitted	Approximately $477,872
Amount received from Medicaid	Approximately $453,323
Services billed	Mental health therapy that was never provided
Identity information misused	Nurse practitioner’s name and NPI, without knowledge or consent
Maximum health care fraud sentence (DOJ)	Up to 10 years
Aggravated identity theft	Mandatory consecutive 2 years
Maximum fine (DOJ)	$250,000
Sentencing	December 16, 2026
Investigators	FBI, with Texas and Virginia Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Units
Prosecutor	Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum
Consumer settlement or claim form	None
Federal case number	Not independently verified

What Did Tekiyah McLeod Admit About the $477,872 in Medicaid Claims?

McLeod admitted submitting fraudulent Medicaid claims totaling about $477,872 for therapy that never happened. According to the government, some claims were for services she purportedly provided to herself. The government says Medicaid paid about $453,323 on those claims.

The two figures are different: $477,872 is the amount billed, and $453,323 is the amount prosecutors say she received. They should not be used interchangeably.

How Did Tekiyah McLeod Allegedly Use the Nurse Practitioner’s Identity?

An NPI is a unique identifier for health care providers in administrative and financial transactions. The DOJ says McLeod used the nurse practitioner’s name and NPI on fraudulent claims without her knowledge or consent. Using a provider’s identity can make fraudulent claims appear to come from, or be linked to, a legitimate professional. The DOJ does not say the nurse practitioner took part in the scheme.

What Is Federal Aggravated Identity Theft Under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A?

Under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A, a person who knowingly transfers, possesses or uses another person’s means of identification without lawful authority during and in relation to certain qualifying felonies faces an additional mandatory prison term. For the standard offense, § 1028A(a)(1), that term is two years, and it generally must run consecutively, not concurrently, to the sentence for the underlying felony. The U.S. Sentencing Commission likewise describes a 24-month mandatory minimum served consecutively. The statute has a limited exception involving multiple § 1028A convictions sentenced together, which does not change the rule for a single count.

What Is Health Care Fraud Under 18 U.S.C. § 1347?

Section 1347 covers knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud a health care benefit program, or to obtain money or property from one through materially false or fraudulent representations. Medicaid, which is funded and administered jointly by the federal government and the states, falls within it.

How Much Prison Time Does Tekiyah McLeod Face?

The DOJ says McLeod faces up to 10 years for health care fraud, a mandatory consecutive two years for aggravated identity theft (which together could total up to 12 years) and a maximum fine of $250,000. These are statutory maximums stated by prosecutors, not a prediction of what Judge Ellison will impose. Sentencing is December 16, 2026.

Does the McLeod Case Affect Medicaid Beneficiaries?

The DOJ announcement does not say beneficiaries were charged for services they personally received, and it does not ask beneficiaries to repay the $453,323. A person who legitimately received services from a provider tied to the case does not automatically have a legal claim because McLeod pleaded guilty. It also should not be read to mean every claim linked to nLove Community Services was fraudulent. Anyone who sees services on their Medicaid record that they never received should act.

What Should Medicaid Beneficiaries Do If Their Record Shows Therapy They Never Received?

1. Review your Explanation of Benefits and Medicaid statements for dates of service, providers and billing codes.
2. Report the discrepancy to your Medicaid program or managed-care organization, and to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General fraud hotline if you are in Texas.
3. File a report at IdentityTheft.gov if you think your personal information was misused.
4. Consider a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion if other identity theft is a concern.
5. Keep records such as statements, appointment records and communications showing the service was not received.

For general guidance, see How To Report Identity Theft To Police And When You Need To.

What Should the Nurse Practitioner Whose NPI Was Allegedly Used Do?

A provider whose name or NPI was used without authorization should preserve claim records, claim dates, billing codes, copies of submitted claims, correspondence from Medicaid or a managed-care organization and any communications with nLove Community Services. The provider should also record whether she actually provided the billed services, cooperate with investigators, and report the misuse through the appropriate payer, regulatory and law-enforcement channels. The guilty plea can be useful evidence, but the provider should still keep the underlying records.

Is There a Medicaid Settlement or Claim Form for the McLeod Case?

No. This is a federal criminal prosecution. No settlement administrator, compensation fund, claim form or deadline has been announced. Anyone claiming to have suffered an individual financial or professional loss would need a separate legal evaluation.

What Happens Next in the Tekiyah McLeod Case?

Judge Ellison accepted the plea, and the next step is sentencing on December 16, 2026, where the court will decide the punishment under federal statutes and sentencing rules. If the court orders restitution, it would be determined through the criminal process, not a consumer claim program.

Tekiyah McLeod Medicaid Fraud Case Timeline

Date	Event
October 2, 2026	DOJ announces McLeod pleaded guilty to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft
October 2, 2026	DOJ says she admitted about $477,872 in fraudulent claims and received about $453,323
December 16, 2026	Sentencing scheduled in the Southern District of Texas

Frequently Asked Questions About Tekiyah McLeod’s Medicaid Fraud and Identity Theft Case

Did Tekiyah McLeod plead guilty to Medicaid fraud?

Yes, to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft.

How much Medicaid fraud did McLeod admit, and how much did she receive?

She admitted billing about $477,872 and, per the government, received about $453,323.

Whose identity did McLeod use?

A nurse practitioner’s name and NPI, without her knowledge or consent.

Is McLeod already sentenced?

No. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2026.

Does the two-year identity theft sentence run separately from the fraud sentence?

Generally yes. Section 1028A requires it to run consecutively to the underlying felony sentence.

Are Medicaid beneficiaries entitled to money from the case?

No compensation program for beneficiaries has been announced.

Is there a public claim form for the McLeod case?

No.

What is the federal case number?

The DOJ announcement does not give one, and none could be verified from a public court record, so AllAboutLawyer is not publishing one.

Disclaimer: This article is general legal information, not legal advice. It summarizes public government information as of October 3, 2026. Consult a qualified attorney or the relevant agency about your situation.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announcement of October 2, 2026, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1028A and 1347, and U.S. Sentencing Commission guidance on aggravated identity theft, as of October 3, 2026. Last Updated: October 3, 2026.