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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Jan. 4, 2008
FRAUD CASES MARKED HIGHLIGHTS OF ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY’S 13 YEARS
WICHITA, KAN. – Veteran Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Schodorf is retiring after 13 years in the job.
A reception for Schodorf will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 7, in the conference room at the U.S. Attorney’s office, Suite 1200, in the Epic Center, 301 N. Main, Wichita.
“Richard was recognized several times for his proactive investigations into fraud against programs administered by agencies of the federal government,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. “He also has been visible in the community through his volunteer work.”
Schodorf developed a toll-free tip line that generated more than 600 tips about health care fraud. The resulting civil cases generated more than $4 million in penalties to the federal government. Radio ads promoting the tip line won the Kansas Broadcasters Award for best public service announcements of 1997, and Schodorf received the U.S. Department of Health and Human’s Service’s Integrity Award for his work .
Other cases Schodorf worked on include:
– Food stamp fraud investigations. More than two dozen Kansas businesses were prosecuted for buying food stamps at 50 cents on the dollar.
– Pell Grant fraud. The government recovered more than $1 million in penalties from the prosecution of more than 300 cases of fraud in the program, which provided grants to disadvantaged students.
– Drug abuse. Eleven doctors and pharmacies were prosecuted for either abusing controlled substances or allowing others to gain illegal access to controlled substances.
– Defense fraud: In 2007, AKAL Security agreed to pay $18 million to settle allegations that it failed to properly train civilian guards at eight Army bases, including Ft. Riley.
Schodorf also did volunteer work with the Arkansas River Foundation, the YMCA, Community Housing Services, the Old Cowtown Museum, the Tallgrass Film Festival and Wichita Downtown Development.
In 1994, Schodorf was defeated by Carla Stovall in the race for Kansas Attorney General. He was an assistant attorney general during Kansas Attorney General Vern Miller’s administration and served as chief lawyer in Sedgwick County’s Consumer Fraud and Economic Crime Division.
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