A Nigerian traditional ruler who also worked as a university professor in the United States has been convicted for defrauding the Medicaid system of more than seventy thousand dollars. Professor Ekelekamchukwu Alphonsus Ngwadom, a psychotherapist and academic, pleaded guilty to numerous charges of obtaining property by false pretenses.
The fraud involved billing for mental health services, including sessions for minors, that were never actually provided to patients.
Professor Ngwadom, who is sixty-one years old, holds a dual identity that spans continents and professions. In the United States, he served as a Professor of Psychology and Sociology at the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina.
Simultaneously, in Nigeria, he holds the title of His Royal Highness, the traditional ruler, or Eze, of Mbubu, Amiri Kingdom in Imo State, a position he ascended to in 2021 following his father’s passing.
The case was prosecuted by the North Carolina Attorney General’s office, which detailed the scheme. Between February 2020 and March 2021, Ngwadom submitted fraudulent claims totaling $72,014.66 to Alliance Health, a managed care organization. The claims were made through his own company, Almarch Counseling Services, and were for therapy sessions that investigators later proved never occurred.
Parents of the children listed as patients denied ever receiving these services, and prosecutors noted that the after-school program cited for some sessions was not operational during the pandemic.
During court proceedings, Ngwadom’s defense attorney cited financial hardship following the COVID-19 pandemic, including the foreclosure of his home, as a factor.
The attorney stated that her client accepted responsibility for what she described as a serious mistake. Ngwadom himself gave an emotional apology in court, calling his actions uncharacteristic.
The judge handed down a sentence that includes thirty-six months of supervised probation, avoiding immediate imprisonment. The specific terms of the sentence are ninety days of house arrest, one hundred hours of community service, and a full restitution payment of $72,014.66 to Alliance Health.
As a critical condition of his plea agreement, Ngwadom was required to surrender his professional counseling licenses. The judge warned that any violation of the probation terms could result in a prison sentence of up to three years.
The conviction of a community leader on such charges has drawn attention on both sides of the Atlantic. At the time of his coronation in Nigeria, local leaders praised Ngwadom as an educated and globally exposed individual who could drive development.
As of the latest reports, the traditional council of his kingdom has not issued an official statement regarding the legal outcome in the United States. The case underscores the legal consequences of healthcare fraud, which authorities say diverts vital public funds meant for vulnerable individuals in need of essential services.
