A former South Sound doctor has been arrested in Madagascar and deported back to the United States to face charges of health care fraud.

A federal warrant had been issued for the arrest of Antoine Johnson, a 38-year-old doctor and former owner of four medical clinics in Tacoma, Lakewood, Olympia and Aberdeen.

Johnson has been charged in federal court with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office reported today. The criminal charge followed an audit by the state Department of Social and Health Services of the Medicaid billing practices at Johnson’s clinics, which included the Johnson Family Practice in Lakewood and Tacoma.

Investigators also looked into allegations that the clinics were dispensing narcotic prescriptions for cash payments and without first examining the patients, the District Attorney’s Office reported.

As part of the investigation, undercover agents posed as patients and visited the clinics.

“A review of bills received by the state following those visits indicate that the clinics billed for a higher level of service than was actually provided, and for services not provided,” a press release states.

Johnson’s mother, Lawanda Johnson, also has been charged for her alleged involvement in the fraudulent billing practices. She remains a fugitive and was last traced to Madagascar.

The Johnsons closed the four clinics and left the country shortly after federal agents searched the clinics and Lawanda Johnson’s home in January.

Madagascar law enforcement officials recently arrested Antoine Johnson after learning his U.S. passport had expired and he had a federal warrant for his arrest, the press release states. He reportedly agreed to voluntarily return to the United States to face the federal charges.

A U.S. law enforcement official accompanied Johnson on a flight back to the United States on Saturday. He’s scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Atlanta today. After his initial appearance, he’s expected to be brought back to Western Washington by the U.S. Marshal Service.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by up to five years in prison and three years of supervised release.

The state medical commission also filed charges against Antoine Johnson. This summer, the state Department of Health’s Medical Quality Assurance Commission found Johnson had engaged in unprofessional conduct and revoked his license to practice as a surgeon and physician in the state.

In 2007, Antoine Johnson was given a community achievement award by the City of Tacoma’s Human Rights division at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.

UPDATE: Johnson had his initial court appearance in Atlanta and waived further detention hearings there. He remains detained and awaiting transport back to the Tacoma area to face the criminal charges.