Strong evidence against a Las Vegas, Nev., couple links them to healthcare fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering in North Carolina. But remember that strong evidence against a defendant doesn’t mean they are guilty. (Keep that in mind as you read more about this couple, particularly the woman, who has a prior conviction for identity theft.)
An indictment alleges that Latisha Harron, 44, and her husband, Timothy Harron, 50, billed the North Carolina Medicaid Program for more than $10 million in home health care services that were never provided through her Roanoke Rapids-based company, Agape Healthcare Systems, Inc. Between February 2017 and December 2019 and while living in Las Vegas, the couple billed Medicaid for fictitious services supposedly provided in North Carolina. (They received approximately $9,597,423.80 for the false claims.) If you’re wondering what they spent more than $9.5 million on, the short list includes: a private jet, luxury clothing and jewelry, and real estate in the North Carolina and Maryland.
The indictment notes that Latisha Harron is also known as Latisha Reese Holt. (I don’t know about you, but I’m always suspicious when a person has another name.) She created her home health care company in July 2006 and enrolled with North Carolina’s state Medicaid program in 2010, registering to bill the program electronically. (It’s important to note that Latisha concealed a prior felony identity theft conviction from the government in order to register as a Medicaid provider. Now we know why she had another name.)
In March 2012, Latisha moved to Maryland and worked as a state employee, while continuing to operate her North Carolina company and bill Medicaid. Beginning around July 2013, she purportedly back billed North Carolina’s Medicaid program for services provided to deceased recipients. In May 2017, she moved to Las Vegas and continued to operate her home healthcare company.
We will have to wait until a November 2020 arraignment to find out whether Harron will enter a “guilty” or “not guilty” plea for Medicaid fraud. In the meantime, the indictment provides a forfeiture notice and a long list of things that must be given up including: $9 million across 15 bank and other financial institution accounts, a British Aerospace BAE 125-800A aircraft, a 2017 Aston Martin DB 11 sports vehicle, a 2016 Ford F-150 truck, land and property in North Carolina and Maryland, gym equipment, jewelry, designer clothes and bags, and wine and liquor. (Strong evidence that the couple was living the high life.)
At Harron’s initial court appearance, the judge determined that she should remain within the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service while waiting for her Fall court date. (Considering the evidence against her, that’s a good idea.) It was also determined that the weight of evidence against Harron is strong. If convicted of Medicaid fraud and other charges, she will be subject to a lengthy period of incarceration. (Her 2002 identity theft conviction definitely won’t help.)
Today’s Fraud of the Day comes from an article, “Multimillion dollar Medicaid fraud case linked to former RR business,” posted on rrspin.com on May 20, 2020.
A multimillion dollar Medicaid fraud case in which a Las Vegas couple were federally indicted has ties to not only Roanoke Rapids, but Hertford and Northampton counties, court documents and a press release from North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein show.
In a press statement Tuesday, Stein said a federal grand jury charged Latisha Harron, 44, and Timothy Mark Harron, 50, with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, false statements relating to health care matters, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conducting transactions in criminally derived property with fraud and money laundering.
