QUEENS, N.Y (PIX11) — The owner of an alleged bogus medical clinic in Queens and a nurse are being accused of performing medical treatments on patients and stealing more than $100,000 from Medicaid through fraudulent billing.
Francia Aguila, 53, of Farmington, was charged with impersonating a doctor, offering medical treatment to New Yorkers without a license, and falsifying business records, according to the New York State Attorney General.
Officials said Aguila, the registered owner of Steinway Hope Medical in Queens, allegedly wore a white coat, referred to herself as “Doctor Fran,” and performed stethoscope exams, eye exams with a penlight and other tests on patients seeking care.
The nurse, Gifty Appiah, 59, of Staten Island, was also arrested and charged with one count of offering a false instrument for filing and one count of offering a false instrument for filing in the second degree, officials said.
Together, the pair allegedly stole $105,018.20 by sending in fraudulent billings to Managed Care Organizations, a program funded by New York’s Medicaid, from March 2021 through November 2024, according to court documents.
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Court documents also state that Aguila allegedly used Appiah’s identity and credentials to prescribe medications.
If convicted, Appiah and Aguila face a maximum sentence of one and one‑third to four years in state prison on the top count.
According to the state, MFCU’s total funding for federal fiscal year 2026 is $70,793,651. Of that amount, 75 percent, $53,095,240, comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $17,698,411, is funded by New York State.
“Practicing medicine without a license risks the lives of New Yorkers and undermines the integrity of our health care system,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “New Yorkers in need of medical care sought treatment at Steinway Hope Medical, where they were taken advantage of by a fake doctor as part of an elaborate Medicaid fraud scheme.”
Nicole Alarcon is an award-winning digital content producer. She has covered local news for the tri-state area since 2021. She joined PIX11 News in 2026. See more of her work here.
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