Federal prosecutors won a conviction and on April 2, 2026 a judge sent 54-year-old Hasan Jermel Pulliam to more than four years in prison for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft tied to fraudulent Medicaid billing that cost the Alabama Medicaid Agency $718,967.20.
On April 2, 2026 a federal judge sentenced Hasan Jermel Pulliam to over four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Pulliam to pay $718,967.20 in restitution to the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Pulliam is 54 years old and the case drew coordination between state and federal investigators.
There is no parole in the federal system. “Health care fraud diverts limited resources away from the patients and families who depend on programs like Medicaid,” said Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for abusing his position of trust and sending false claims to obtain money he was not entitled to receive. Our office will continue to work closely with our federal and state partners to protect taxpayer-funded health care programs from fraud and abuse.”
According to court records and his plea agreement, Pulliam worked as a child and family therapist and enrolled as a provider with Alabama Medicaid in October 2018. After enrolling, he received referrals from other medical providers that included Medicaid beneficiaries’ names, dates of birth, Medicaid Recipient Identification Numbers, and other personally identifying information. Those referrals became the basis for billing activity the program flagged as suspicious.
“This sentence reflects our commitment to protecting taxpayer resources and upholding the rule of law in Alabama,” said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. “I commend our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their excellent work on this case, and I thank our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HHS-OIG for their collaboration in holding Mr. Pulliam accountable for defrauding Alabama taxpayers of over $700,000. We will continue this collaborative effort to root out fraud and ensure justice is served.”
The Alabama Medicaid Agency’s Program Integrity Unit noticed questionable billing tied to Pulliam and referred the matter to the Alabama Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in Montgomery and to HHS-OIG in Birmingham. Investigators reviewed billing records and cross-checked beneficiary information that appeared on claims. That review led to a broader investigation into services billed but not provided.
“Health care providers who fraudulently bill Medicaid for services not rendered and exploit personal information for their own gain will be held accountable,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs.”
The probe found Pulliam submitted numerous fraudulent claims to the Alabama Medicaid Agency for counseling services that were never provided. In many cases he used Medicaid beneficiaries’ identifying information without their consent, and for minor beneficiaries he billed without family consent. That pattern of billing continued through November 2023, according to investigators.
As a direct result of those claims, the Alabama Medicaid Agency issued payments totaling $718,967.20 that Pulliam was not entitled to receive. The financial records and billing patterns were central to the prosecution’s case. On October 25, 2025 Pulliam pleaded guilty to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The case was investigated by the Alabama Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted the matter on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors emphasized the cooperation between state and federal law enforcement throughout the investigation.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is a division of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, and 75 percent of its funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. That grant amounted to $1.14 million for fiscal year 2025. The funding supports investigations and prosecutions of provider fraud and patient abuse across the state.
Investigators said Pulliam exploited beneficiary data to submit false claims and that some victims were minors whose care was never delivered as billed. The aggravated identity theft counts reflected the use of protected personal information to make those claims. The court’s restitution order aims to return improperly paid funds to the Medicaid program.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General announced the outcome of the case. Authorities say the prosecution demonstrates ongoing enforcement activity targeting fraudulent billing schemes. The matter underscores continuing oversight efforts over taxpayer-funded health care programs.
