US Justice Department in Washington. Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi/ ALM

The husband of a woman sentenced to 75 years in prison for health care fraud received an 80-year imprisonment term for similar conduct but isn't behind bars after failing to appear at the hearing.

Ebong Tilong, 53, of Sugar Land, Texas, was scheduled to appear on Oct. 13 before U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon of the Southern District of Texas to be sentenced on 11 counts stemming from his role in a $13 million Medicare fraud scheme.

Tilong, who co-owned a Houston home health agency, pleaded guilty to most of the charges after the first week of a two-week trial in November 2016. The sentencing hearing was rescheduled for last Friday. Tilong was sentenced in absentia, according to court records.