Brighton CEO Faces Health Care Fraud Charges

Health Care Fraud and Murder Charges

A Michigan CEO, Tamela Peterson, is in serious legal trouble. She is facing health care fraud charges on top of an existing second-degree murder charge.

Fraud Charges

• Arraigned in January 2026 on nine counts of health care fraud.
• Each charge could result in up to four years in prison and fines of up to $50,000.
• Peterson was the CEO of The Oxford Recovery Center in Brighton and The Oxford Center in Troy, which provided addiction and mental health treatment, including autism programs.
• Prosecutors allege she knew about fraudulent billing and personally benefited from submitting false claims for services not provided.

Background

• Complaints from former patients and health care providers led to the investigation in September 2022.
• Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stated that false claims hurt patients, providers, and drive up health care costs.
• Nessel emphasized that her office will not tolerate fraud for personal gain.

Deadly Hyperbaric Chamber Explosion

Peterson and three other workers are also facing charges related to a deadly explosion in a hyperbaric chamber.

The Incident

• A 5-year-old boy, Thomas Cooper, died in the explosion at the Oxford Center in Troy in January 2025.
• His mother was also injured.
• The four workers are accused of ignoring safety guidelines for operating the hyperbaric chamber.

Charges

• Peterson, Jeffrey Mosteller (safety manager), and Gary Marken (primary management assistant) are charged with second-degree murder and an alternative charge of involuntary manslaughter.
• Aleta Moffitt (operator of the chamber at the time) is charged with involuntary manslaughter and falsifying medical records.

Legal Proceedings

• The preliminary hearing for the four workers continued on Tuesday, January 20th.
• The judge is deciding if there is enough evidence to send the case to circuit court for trial.
• For the health care fraud case, Peterson was given a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.
• She is scheduled to appear in court on January 27th for a probable cause conference.
• The preliminary examination is set for February 3rd.