HomeOregon NewsOregon steps up Medicaid fraud crackdown with new case against Portland-area provider

Oregon steps up Medicaid fraud crackdown with new case against Portland-area provider

Salem, Oregon – Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield on Wednesday announced a new Medicaid fraud case in Multnomah County while also pointing to two recent convictions that state prosecutors say reflect a broader effort to protect public health dollars from misuse.

At the center of the newest case is Roberto Felipe Munoz, a Portland-area behavioral health provider, along with his business, Munoz Counseling LLC. According to the Oregon Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Munoz and his company have been charged with 18 felony counts, including Making a False Claim for Health Care Payment, Aggravated Theft and Aggravated Identity Theft.

Prosecutors allege that between March and Aug. 15, 2025, Munoz and Munoz Counseling submitted fraudulent claims to CareOregon in order to receive payments they were not entitled to collect.

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CareOregon, which partners with Health Share of Oregon as part of the state’s Medicaid network, referred the matter for investigation and cooperated with the inquiry.

“Medicaid exists to make sure people can get the help they need – for their health, their housing, their children’s mental wellbeing,” said Attorney General Rayfield.

“These cases show what’s at stake when people in positions of trust choose to exploit that system for personal gain. We will continue to hold accountable anyone who steals from Oregon’s most vulnerable residents.”

State officials stressed that the charges against Munoz are accusations only. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Rayfield also highlighted two Multnomah County convictions recently secured by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. In one case, Zoe Thiele-Seidenberg, a licensed children’s mental health provider employed by Catholic Community Services, pleaded guilty on Feb. 24, 2026, to two felony counts of Making False Claims for Health Care Payment.

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The agency said Catholic Community Services uncovered the misconduct through an internal audit and referred the matter to investigators. Thiele-Seidenberg was sentenced to five days in jail, 36 months of supervised probation, 80 hours of community service, restitution and the surrender of her therapy license.

In a separate case, former CareOregon employee Haley Sanchez admitted to misusing money from the Health Related Services Fund, a program that covers needs not typically paid by standard Medicaid, including housing support and home safety modifications.

Investigators said Sanchez improperly directed gift cards to herself, relatives and a partner between December 2022 and December 2023. After CareOregon uncovered the activity and referred the case, Sanchez pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2026, to Theft in the First Degree and Making a False Claim for Health Care Payment. Her sentence included 10 days in jail, 100 hours of community service and 36 months of supervised probation.

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The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which investigates provider billing fraud as well as abuse and neglect tied to healthcare services, says it has secured more than 200 criminal convictions, more than 80 civil settlement agreements and recovered over $85 million during the past decade. More information about the Oregon Department of Justice is available at doj.state.or.us.

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