Steven A. Price, a dentist based in Washington, D.C., and Keidi C. Moore, a dental hygienist from Temple Hills, Maryland, were found guilty in U.S. District Court of conspiring to defraud the D.C. Medicaid program of $4 million. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro after more than a week of jury deliberations.
Price operated the Washington Smile Center in Northwest Washington, where Moore was employed as a dental hygienist. Both were convicted on charges including conspiracy, health care fraud, false statements, and wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for June 29 and June 30, 2026 before Judge Amit P. Mehta.
According to evidence presented at trial, from January 2017 through March 2022, Price and Moore submitted repeated claims to D.C. Medicaid for clinical crown lengthening procedures and space maintainers—services that were not actually performed. In some cases, records showed patients allegedly received over 30 clinical crown lengthening procedures or more than 20 space maintainers within just a few years.
U.S. Attorney Pirro stated: “Price and Moore stole $4 million from a program designed to help people in our community,” adding that her office is committed to prosecuting those who misuse government programs.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Sarah Ranney prosecuted the case with support from Paralegal Specialist Carlos Jiminez Guzman.
Wire fraud charges carry up to 20 years in prison; conspiracy and health care fraud charges each have maximum sentences of 10 years; making false statements related to health care can result in up to five years imprisonment. Financial penalties may also apply. Final sentencing will be determined by the court according to federal guidelines.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in announcing the verdict were FBI Assistant Director Darren B. Cox for the Washington Field Office and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
