In 2018, Regina Brice, Joe Brice, Carol Kirby, and Gregory Kirby were Las Vegas pastors preaching on salvation and forgiveness. But appearances can be deceiving, because these four were doing a lot more than divine intervention. On January 8, 2025, Regina, Joe, Carol and Gregory pled guilty to stealing more than one million dollars using Medicaid provider IDs that they had fraudulently obtained with applications that didn’t include their prior convictions. Prior crimes may be forgiven when one finds their salvation, but when one omits those facts from a Medicaid provider application, it is considered fraud.
Each, in their individual applications to be a Medicaid provider, concealed years of previous convictions, along with providing false information stating they had qualifications and experience that they didn’t possess. Regina had omitted prior convictions which included possession of drug paraphernalia, theft, and battery. Her husband Joe had a history that included burglary, drug possession, and a concealed weapon without a permit, that he failed to list on his application. Gregory Kirby also omitted his prior criminal convictions, which included tampering with a vehicle and possession of cocaine. His now ex-wife, Carol, had no prior convictions. However, in her application she failed to mention Gregory’s prior convictions, which shouldn’t have been a problem, but she listed Gregory as the resident agent and director of her business.
In court, Regina Brice did admit that even with no formal healthcare educational background, it was easy for them to set up healthcare businesses. For less than $500, they were each able to obtain the healthcare IDs necessary to bill Medicaid for fraudulent claims for services never rendered. All is not forgiven though. They were each given sentences that included full restitution.
Should out to the Department of Health and Human Services in this case.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “4 Las Vegas preachers plead guilty to stealing tax dollars, lying about criminal records” published by KLAS News on January 28, 2025.
Four pastors admitted to bilking taxpayers out of more than a million dollars combined, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned. Two of them – a former husband and wife – avoided prison time while two others, currently married, await sentencing and face prison time.
The two pastors who avoided prison time were involved in a scheme to steal taxpayer dollars and were sentenced to five years of probation after they agreed to plea deals with federal prosecutors in exchange for lighter sentences, court documents show. Gregory and Carol Kirby, once married to each other, admitted to lying on applications to become medical providers for Medicaid, and submitting fraudulent medical claims, according to court documents.
