Atlanta-area doctor accused of attempting to defraud $4.3 million from Georgia Medicaid
MGN
A Georgia doctor has been charged as part of a national investigation into Medicare and Medicaid fraud, federal authorities say.
Prosecutors say 52-year-old Murrell Carnel Rutledge, Jr., the owner of East Point’s Rutledge Medical Associates, billed Georgia Medicaid for thousands of services that he never performed.
According to officials, the indictment of Rutledge was part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which has resulted in charges against 455 defendants – 90 of whom have been doctors and other licensed medical professionals.
Evidence presented in court showed Rutledge submitted or caused to be submitted more than 11,300 false and fraudulent claims between January 2017 and March 2023.
The majority of those claims were “extended, face-to-face psychotherapy sessions,” officials said. Other services he allegedly never performed were cyst removals, allergy testing, and wound care.
In all, Rutledge sought $4.3 million from Georgia Medicaid and received $2.6 million, prosecutors said.
Rutledge is now facing 40 counts of health care fraud.
“We’re prosecuting fraud in all its forms, and we’re fighting to protect taxpayer dollars,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Let me be clear – if you steal from our Medicaid program, you will be held accountable and forced to pay back all the money you stole. This is a nationwide effort, and we’re proud to work with all of our state and federal partners to ensure the integrity of our publicly funded healthcare programs.”
Atlanta man accused of lying to work as a nurse
Along with Rutledge, prosecutors also indicted 57-year-old Lonnie Releford with one count of concealment of material facts related to health care matters.
According to officials, Releford lied about his criminal history, education, and professional qualifications to become a judge, despite not having a nursing degree or being qualified to practice in Georgia.
As part of the scheme, prosecutors claim Releford submitted fake documents and stole the identity of a real nurse.
The Atlanta man had previously been convicted for fraud and identity theft, authorities said.
