PHOENIX - A New River, Arizona, couple was sentenced Monday to a combined 158 months in federal prison for defrauding Arizona’s Medicaid agency of more than $12 million through a sham behavioral health clinic in Mesa, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced.
Senior U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow sentenced Thvoughn Lynden Curry, 34, to 88 months in prison and Alexis Daneen Curry, 34, to 70 months. Both were ordered to three years of supervised release and to pay restitution of over $12 million to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state’s Medicaid agency. “The President tasked us to eliminate fraud and recoup every taxpayer dollar possible, and we’ve delivered in this case, bringing the Currys to justice for stealing millions from the government,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine.
The Currys operated “1 Family Clinic, LLC,” a purported outpatient behavioral health clinic in Mesa. Between approximately Feb. 1, 2021, and March 31, 2023, they routinely billed AHCCCS in a uniform, nearly identical pattern for services never provided, targeting the agency’s American Indian Health Plan. The clinic billed an average of more than 12 hours of service per member per day despite being open far fewer hours and failing to deliver the licensed substance abuse therapy it charged for.
Prosecutors argued the scheme preyed on vulnerable, low-income Arizonans with real treatment needs. Medical records showed residents were often left unsupervised, with several overdosing and experiencing life-threatening health emergencies. “The Currys diverted millions from Arizona’s Medicaid program to line their own pockets, depleting vital resources from those who depend on these services,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “These sentences reflect the seriousness of that harm and reinforce IRS-CI commitment to protecting the integrity of taxpayer funded healthcare programs.”
The fraud began with a falsified provider application. Alexis Curry was listed as sole owner and manager, concealing Thvoughn Curry’s role — a required disclosure, given that he was an owner and managing employee with an active, outstanding warrant for state felony fraud charges at the time. Once approved, the couple spent much of the $12 million on themselves, purchasing properties and luxury vehicles including a 2019 Lamborghini Urus for more than $300,000.
“Fraud on this scale is not just a financial crime, it directly harms the vulnerable populations AHCCCS exists to serve,” said Roberta Harrison, Interim Director of AHCCCS. “This sentencing reflects the strength of our partnerships with law enforcement and underscores our commitment to aggressively pursuing those who attempt to misuse public funds.” Mesa Police Chief Dan Butler called the outcome “the direct result of outstanding collaboration between our law enforcement partners,” noting that “complex investigations often extend beyond the jurisdiction of a single agency.”
Both defendants were convicted at trial earlier this year on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, three counts of health care fraud, and eight counts of transactional money laundering following a four-day bench trial. The case, numbered 23-CR-1293, was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation with substantial assistance from the Mesa Police Department and the AHCCCS Office of Inspector General. The Department of Justice created its National Fraud Enforcement Division on April 7 as part of President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance, to target those who steal or misuse taxpayer dollars across federal benefit programs.