Mother-daughter relationships can be complicated. (Especially when it involves criminal activity.) Today’s ”Fraud of the Day” is about a mom and a daughter who were in collusion to bilk the Kansas Medicaid program of more than $3,000 while both were incarcerated.
The daughter billed the state Medicaid program for personal care services that she supposedly provided for her mother. She claimed she was caring for her mother while actually serving time behind bars in four different county jails over a two-year period.
The 25-year-old daughter pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud and was ordered to pay $3,685.19 back to the government benefits program. She was also sentenced to a year of probation with a year of post release supervision. (She may also be prohibited from collecting wages through any government health care program. Sounds like a good plan.)
Further research revealed that the fraudster’s 54-year-old mother, whom she was supposedly providing care for, was also behind bars at the time she was supposed to be receiving one-on-one care. The mother pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud prior to her daughter’s plea. She received a sentence of 12 months of probation with an underlying jail sentence of 10 months plus 12 months of post-release supervision. She also has to pay restitution to the state Medicaid program. (It looks like the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.)
This case is a good example of the importance the government places on stopping fraud, no matter the size. While they only got away with a small amount of money, the government successfully prosecuted this case and put a stop to this dysfunctional duo’s fraudulent activities before they could do more damage to a program that is supposed to cover eligible beneficiaries, not pay criminals who are looking to line their pockets with extra cash.
Source: Today’s ”Fraud of the Day” is based on an article entitled, ”Chanute woman ordered to repay more than $3,000 for Medicaid fraud,” published by The Chanute Tribune on August 4, 2016.
A Chanute woman was ordered Wednesday to repay more than $3,000 to the Kansas Medicaid Program after pleading guilty to Medicaid fraud-related charges, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.
Lisa Deweese, 25, pleaded guilty last month in Neosho County District Court to one count of unlawful acts relating to the Medicaid program. Judge Daryl Ahlquist ordered Deweese to repay $3,685.19 to the Kansas Medicaid Program. Judge Ahlquist also sentenced Deweese to 12 months probation with 12 months post release supervision. Convictions such as this one may also result in a period during which the defendant is prohibited from being paid wages through a government health care program.
