TOLEDO, OH, October 17, 2025 — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has affirmed the convictions and prison sentences of Oliver and Sherry-Ann Jenkins, a married couple found guilty of mail fraud, wire fraud, health care fraud, and conspiracy in connection with an unlicensed medical practice operated under the Toledo Clinic.
According to court documents, Oliver Jenkins, an ear, nose, and throat physician, convinced the Toledo Clinic to establish a “Cognitive Center” that his wife, Sherry-Ann Jenkins, who holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience but no medical license, would manage. The couple billed patients and insurers for diagnostic services that Sherry-Ann performed and falsely represented as medical treatments under Oliver’s provider identification.
Between 2014 and 2016, Sherry-Ann Jenkins diagnosed patients with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and ordered brain imaging studies despite lacking proper credentials. Several patients testified they believed she was a physician and paid for repeated consultations and tests.
The Toledo Clinic ultimately closed the Cognitive Center in 2016 after complaints from patients, physicians, and insurers. A federal jury convicted both defendants in 2023, sentencing Sherry-Ann to 71 months in prison and Oliver to 41 months.
On appeal, the Jenkinses argued that the evidence was insufficient, that they relied on the clinic’s internal legal and compliance staff, and that the trial court erred in its jury instructions. The Sixth Circuit rejected all claims, finding that the evidence showed deliberate deception and agreement between the defendants to defraud patients and health care programs.
The appellate court also upheld the district court’s rulings limiting certain defense evidence and allowing jury instructions on deliberate ignorance.
