Five women from Kentwood have been booked on Medicaid fraud charges, accused of bilking the program for services that were never rendered, state Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell's
office reported Tuesday (Sept. 22). Four of the women were working as
direct care service workers, hired by Medicaid providers to care for
physically handicapped or elderly Medicaid recipients, the agency said
in a news release.
Bonnie Simmons, 64, was arrested Monday by the attorney general's
Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and booked with two counts of felony
Medicaid fraud. Simmons, a Medicaid recipient who was receiving in-home
services from a personal care agency in Hammond, conspired with two
service workers to bill the Medicaid program for services that were not
provided, the release said. She agreed to sign false time sheets and
service logs indicating that the workers provided care seven days a week
and, in return, the workers agreed to share their paychecks with
Simmons, authorities said.
Simmons is also responsible for another Medicaid recipient, whom she
used to further implement the scheme, according to authorities. Simmons
allegedly signed false time sheets and service logs claiming that four
direct care service workers provided in-home care seven days a week to
the other recipient. The four workers then allegedly provided Simmons
with a portion of the money.
Endia R. Perry, 24, and Shastian C. Dyson, 27, were booked with two
counts of felony Medicaid fraud for allegedly submitting false time
sheets and service logs indicating they provided care to Simmons and the
other patient.
Angela Sims, 37, and Miadonica Moore, 35, were
booked with one count of felony Medicaid fraud for allegedly submitting
false time sheets and service logs indicating they provided care to the
Medicaid recipient for whom Simmons was responsible.
Each count of Medicaid fraud is punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $20,000 in fines.
All five women were booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison
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