Over a Dozen Charged in Massive Medicaid Fraud Sweep Across the Carolinas

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Federal prosecutors have charged more than a dozen individuals across North and South Carolina in what authorities are calling one of the largest healthcare fraud operations in U.S. history, involving scams totaling over $90 million.

The announcement, made Monday in Charlotte, is part of a broader national sweep targeting 324 defendants nationwide, including doctors, business owners, and healthcare workers accused of bilking Medicaid, Medicare, and Veterans Affairs programs, according to Queen City News.

Fake Clinics, Gift Cards, and Bogus Labs

Among the most significant local cases is that of Crystal Jackson, a former addiction specialist in Charlotte, accused of submitting $1.9 million in fake therapy and drug testing claims through her company, Jackson Consulting Services. Of that amount, $1.6 million was paid out by NC Medicaid, federal officials said.

In another high-dollar case out of eastern North Carolina, three individuals with ties to Life Touch, LLC — Kimberly Sims, Francine Super, and Keke Johnson — allegedly paid patients with gift cards to repeatedly return for services that weren’t needed. This led to over $25 million in false Medicaid claims, with employees also receiving kickbacks from a lab company.

South Carolina Fraud Ring Bilked $21 Million

A complex operation based in South Carolina allegedly scammed the state’s Medicaid program out of $21 million by submitting claims for fake behavioral health services. Prosecutors say Donald Saunders of Charlotte led the fraud ring, along with Vanessa Boatright of Manning, Latarsa Hitchcock of Raleigh, and Cynthia Harris of Elgin.

The group allegedly created shell clinics, manufactured records, and submitted thousands of claims for therapy services that never occurred.

Fake Equipment, VA Scams, and Exploiting Vulnerable Patients

Additional cases include:

• Tina Armstrong of Florence, SC, billed over $100,000 for medical equipment never delivered through her company, Safe at Home Medical.

• Dee Moton, a massage therapist in Aiken, allegedly defrauded the VA out of $2.3 million, billing for non-existent therapies like “wheelchair treatments” for veterans who didn’t need them.

• Latisha Massey, a certified nursing assistant in Greer, SC, was indicted for stealing funds from a resident in her care and using their financial details for personal use.

The national sweep also revealed that authorities seized $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services halted $4 billion in suspicious payments and revoked 205 provider billing privileges.

Additional Cases With Carolina Ties

The broader operation linked other cases back to the Carolinas:

• Lori Adcock of Hampstead, NC, was charged in Virginia for inflating Medicaid-billed home modification costs.

• Jennifer Brant, an Indiana health aide, allegedly submitted bills while vacationing in Myrtle Beach.

• Patric Snowden, a provider from Ohio, billed for services while traveling through North Carolina.

A full list of nationwide cases is available via the U.S. Department of Justice.

How should states crack down on healthcare fraud without harming access for patients? Share your views in the comments at saludastandard-sentinel.com — we want to hear from residents across South Carolina.