Abatete Chief Linked to $34m Medicaid Revenue and Multi-Million-Dollar Property Purchases

A Nigerian chief based partly in California is facing scrutiny after an investigation examined the rapid growth of his health-care company’s Medicaid revenue alongside a series of multimillion-dollar property purchases.

According to an investigation by Christopher F. Rufo and Madeleine Rowley, Chief Nathan Ogbatue, who was crowned chief of Abatete in 2012, is the chief executive of California Home Health Agency (CHHA), a company providing in-home medical services.

The investigation found that CHHA received less than $2 million from Medicaid between 2018 and 2021, before its revenue increased sharply. Over the following three years, the company reportedly received more than $34 million from the programme.

The report also examined Ogbatue and his wife Agnes’ property purchases. It said the couple acquired at least $7 million worth of property between 2023 and 2024, including a $2.7 million Riverside mansion and a $1.9 million beach property.

In Nigeria, Ogbatue has been associated with philanthropic projects in Abatete, including roads, community facilities and a palace. The investigation also documented golden statues depicting Ogbatue and his wife at the community site.

The report said experts who reviewed CHHA’s billing patterns identified potential red flags, including the company’s failure to file mandatory utilization reports despite continued requests from California authorities. One expert questioned whether the reported volume of services could be reconciled with the company’s staffing and publicly available information.

However, the investigation does not establish that Ogbatue or CHHA committed fraud. It specifically notes that no government officials have publicly accused the company of wrongdoing. Ogbatue has denied wrongdoing and said the business was built through hard work. His lawyer also disputed the investigation’s implications, saying CHHA provides medically necessary home-health services through a network of more than 100 contracted healthcare workers.

Public healthcare-provider records independently identify Nathan O. Ogbatue as the authorised official of a Riverside, California home-health organisation.