YOUNGSTOWN - A Valley doctor awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to charges filed in connection with an alleged Medicare and Medicaid kickback scheme for testing that was not medically necessary.

Doctor Michelle Kapon appeared through video in U.S. District Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to solicit, receive, offer and pay kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program and two counts of receipt of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program.

Kapon, who is free on a recognizance bond, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3 following completion of a pre-sentencing report.

According to court documents, Kapon, 41, of Youngstown, and OBGYN Joni Canby, 62 of Poland, received kickbacks from OBGYN Samir Wahib after sending samples from their patients to him for gonorrhea and chlamydia testing.

Investigators say that Wahib, 53 of Canfield, paid $20 in kickbacks to Canby and $15 to Kapon for every specimen they sent to him.  Wahib would, in turn, allegedly submit claims to the federal government for payment of the tests.

The government claims the payments were disguised as “physician coverage” on checks from Wahib’s business account.

Between 2014 and 2017, Wahib paid $31,520 to Kapon and Canby, while Wahib submitted 42 related claims to Medicare and Medicaid, according to investigators.\

Wahib and Canby have each been indicted by a federal grand jury and await trial.

Wahib faces 11 counts, including Conspiracy to Solicit, Receive, Offer and Pay Kickbacks in Connection with a Federal Health Care Program, Offering or Paying Kickbacks in Connection with a Federal Health Care Program, Conspiracy to Commit Health Fraud, Health Care Fraud, and Obstruction of a Criminal Investigation of Federal Health Care Offenses.

A ten-count indictment was handed up against Dr. Canby on charges of Conspiracy to Solicit, Receive, Offer and Pay Kickbacks in Connection with a Federal Health Care Program, Receipt of Kickbacks in Connection with a Federal Health Care Program, Conspiracy to Commit Health Fraud, and Health Care Fraud.