Ohio Medicaid provider among nine facing fraud charges

Medicaid Providers Accused of Fraud in Ohio

In Columbus, nine Medicaid providers stand accused of illegally taking a total of $530,888 from the state’s healthcare program for those in need. This indictment was filed by the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost earlier this month.

The investigation was carried out by the Medicaid Fraud Enforcement Unit, which is part of Yost’s office. The charges were subsequently brought to Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Among those implicated is Elizabeth Naurot, a 38-year-old woman from Woolixville. She allegedly billed Medicaid for services rendered seven days a week, even though she later confessed to working only six days. The losses attributed to her actions amount to $5,337.

Another case involves 32-year-old Tiara Portis from Akron. Reports suggest that she inflated her billing hours, charging Medicaid even when she was traveling or her clients were not present. During questioning, she admitted to the wrongdoing, stating, “I needed the money” and “I was well aware of it.” The fraudulent billing led to losses of $36,380 for Medicaid.

Others facing charges include:

Monica Dean, 46, from Cleveland, who is accused of Medicaid fraud and theft with calculated losses of $45,205. Several clients reported that she seldom came to provide care and often sent unqualified individuals instead, despite billing for full shifts.

Mustafa Issa, 34, and his wife Aisha Mustafa, 28, allegedly orchestrated multiple fraudulent billing schemes from their Westchester business, Hearts of Care Home Health Care Agency. The couple is accused of causing $344,602 in losses to Medicaid between June 2023 and November 2024 by inflating service hours and billing for periods when clients were hospitalized.

Andrea Johnson, 53, from South Charleston, reportedly continued billing even after halting services and forged clients’ signatures on time sheets. Her actions resulted in losses of $22,886 to Medicaid.

Mary Moore, 52, from Cincinnati, is charged with falsifying time records to claim services were provided to a relative, resulting in a loss of $2,896. When questioned, she responded, “I think I should be paid back in full.”

Alijah Terrell, 29, from Cleveland, was charged after a probe revealed $63,471 in fraudulent billings for dates when services were canceled while the recipient was hospitalized.

Finally, Jerry Toney, 59, from West Union, was indicted after investigators found she improperly received $10,111 in overcharges between July 2022 and October 2024.

The Medicaid Fraud Unit, part of the Ohio Health Care Fraud Division, collaborates with various partners to combat Medicaid fraud and safeguard vulnerable adults. They focus on investigating and prosecuting healthcare providers who defraud the Medicaid program and enforce laws against patient abuse and neglect.

Yost remarked in the announcement, “Cheating on Medicaid only leaves you with a court date and a criminal record. We are working hard to recover ill-gotten gains for the people of Ohio and bring fraudsters to justice.”