Federal prosecutors allege Maurice Marcell Williams collected about $19.7 million through fraudulent Medicaid claims and spent proceeds on homes and luxury goods.
PHOENIX, AZ — A Peoria man who publicly displayed signs of a lavish lifestyle faces 11 federal counts after prosecutors accused him of fraudulently billing Arizona’s Medicaid program more than $33 million through a behavioral health company and receiving about $19.7 million in payments.
Maurice Marcell Williams, 48, was indicted Sept. 8 by a federal grand jury in Phoenix on health care fraud and money laundering charges. Prosecutors allege Williams owned and operated Thinking and Learning Together 2 LLC, or TLT, which presented itself as a Phoenix behavioral treatment provider. The indictment accuses him of concealing his ownership of the company and a prior criminal conviction when applying to participate in the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, known as AHCCCS.
The case provides a detailed look at how prosecutors say money from the alleged scheme moved from Medicaid payments into real estate, financial accounts and luxury purchases. Federal authorities are seeking forfeiture of two residential properties, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan and brokerage accounts tied to Williams. FOX 10 Phoenix reported that one of the properties is a Peoria mansion valued at about $5.5 million, with more than 12,000 square feet of space on 2.5 acres.
Prosecutors allege TLT submitted claims for behavioral health services that were never provided. The alleged activity occurred between May 2022 and May 2023 and focused on AHCCCS members covered through the American Indian Health Program’s fee-for-service system. Federal authorities say TLT billed AHCCCS more than $33 million during that period and received approximately $19.7 million based on fraudulent claims.
More detailed reporting on the indictment describes claims involving members who were incarcerated or receiving treatment from other providers, along with services prosecutors contend were medically unnecessary or never performed. The allegations also include billing patterns involving unusually long service hours and attendance patterns that investigators considered impossible. Those allegations have not been proven at trial.
Williams’ spending drew additional attention as investigators traced the money. FOX 10 Phoenix reported that documents describe a $1.2 million transfer to his son, property purchases in Peoria and Waddell and about $200,000 spent on designer merchandise. Federal authorities also allege proceeds were used to acquire the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
A social media video reported by FOX 10 showed Williams displaying the Rolls-Royce during the 2022 holiday season and describing the vehicle as a gift to himself. The video has taken on new significance because prosecutors now contend the luxury vehicle was purchased with proceeds connected to the alleged Medicaid fraud. The government is seeking forfeiture of the vehicle as part of the criminal case.
Federal authorities also point to Williams’ criminal history as part of their allegations concerning his enrollment with AHCCCS. Prosecutors say he failed to disclose a prior conviction when TLT applied to participate in the Medicaid program. FOX 10 reported that Williams served a prison sentence from May 2003 until March 2011 following convictions involving marijuana, weapons misconduct and illegal control of an enterprise. Prosecutors allege his son was listed as the owner of TLT while Williams actually operated the business.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said investigators were able to use search warrants and seizure orders as the criminal case moved forward. Courchaine told FOX 10 that authorities recovered nearly $14 million in assets they contend came from the alleged scheme. The indictment separately identifies residential property, the Rolls-Royce and brokerage accounts that the government is seeking to forfeit.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation with substantial assistance from the AHCCCS Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aron Ketchel of the District of Arizona is handling the prosecution. The case is filed in federal court under case number 26-CR-1055-PHX-JJT.
Health care fraud and money laundering each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of conviction, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Williams and his public defender did not respond to requests for comment from FOX 10. An indictment is an accusation, and Williams is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Author note: Last updated September 24, 2026.