Former Tulsa Dentist Who Prompted Health Scare Guilty Of Money Laundering

A former Tulsa dentist accused of exposing thousands of patients to hepatitis and HIV pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal charge.

Wayne Scott Harrington, 67, pleaded guilty on April 13, 2016 to one count of money laundering. 

Prosecutors had just charged Harrington on Monday. They said he used fraudulent billing to get money from Medicaid and Medicare then laundered the cash.

4/12/2016: Related Story: Former Tulsa Dentist At Center Of Health Scare Charged With Money Laundering

The charge was the result of an investigation by the FBI, the IRS, the Department of Defense, the Department of Human Services, the DEA and the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.

According to prosecutors, Harrington billed Medicaid for anesthesia services from April 3, 2012 through March 19, 2013 which he did not actually provide. He obtained $15,295.85 which he deposited into an account associated with his practice, according to court documents.

He then got a check for $15,000 from that account payable to another account he personally controlled, the documents say. 

Harrington surrendered his license to practice dentistry in August of 2014 amid allegations that he ran unsanitary clinics in Tulsa and Owasso. His clinics had closed in March of 2013. He faces lawsuits related to how he ran his practice but those proceedings are separate from the federal charge to which he pleaded guilty.

He's scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2016. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.