OCALA, FL (352today.com) – A local mental health counselor has been indicted on multiple federal charges in connection with an alleged years-long insurance fraud scheme.

Michelle Forsythe, 61, of Ocala, was arrested following an indictment charging her with 14 counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, according to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud charge and a mandatory two-year sentence for the identity theft charge, to be served consecutively.

Federal prosecutors say Forsythe, a licensed mental health counselor, used the names and insurance information of 22 individuals without their knowledge to fraudulently bill two health insurance companies for services she never provided between January 2016 and December 2022. In at least one case, she allegedly billed for counseling sessions using the identity of someone she had never treated.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $483,511.44, which authorities say represents the proceeds of the offenses.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal charge, and Forsythe is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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