Medicaid Fraud Accusations in Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced on Friday that ten individuals are facing allegations of Medicaid fraud.

According to Yost, seven of the accused are from northeast Ohio, and the total amount involved in the theft is estimated at $1.9 million.

Here’s a brief overview of the cases:

• Gabriel Trudel Khan, 36, from Columbus, was removed from a client’s care plan in February 2024 but reportedly continued to claim nearly $33,368 over the next six months for services he was not providing.
• Terry Cotton, 54, of Cleveland, raised suspicions due to the numerous claims for homemade meals. Over a span of two years, she billed Medicaid for as many as 100 individuals each day, totaling $1,271,639 in losses.
• Shylynn Flint, 24, of Blanchester, was found to have billed Medicaid while traveling in Las Vegas, resulting in a $5,217 loss after she canceled or missed scheduled shifts.
• Toya Hale, 52, from Canton, was reported by two clients for failing to provide services, while a third claimed otherwise. A review revealed a potential kickback scheme, as her billing overlapped with her job at the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, leading to a $10,204 loss for Medicaid.
• Creshawnda Hughes, 33, of Akron, allegedly billed for more hours than she actually worked, demanding refunds for eight hours despite only working for two, resulting in $25,900 in losses for Medicaid.
• Regina Johnson, 34, of Avon, submitted claims for services while traveling in Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas, confessing to submitting unjust claims during an investigation that resulted in a $20,140 loss for Medicaid.
• Yolanda Knox, 50, of Dayton, allegedly charged for services on holidays and weekends when she wasn’t working, even sending others to provide services on her behalf; this totaled $56,666 in losses for Medicaid.
• Silina Powell, 50, from Canton, is accused of using her mother’s name and credentials to bill Medicaid for services that were never rendered, leading to a loss of $5,758.
• Juan Watson, 36, of Cleveland, reportedly billed for 16-hour days despite clients stating they only received a few hours of service, and he also allegedly claimed hours while out of state, resulting in a significant $431,579 loss for Medicaid.
• Cheyenne Williams, 61, from Cleveland, continued to claim Medicaid for ten months even after she had stopped providing services, allegedly including claims for holiday work she did not perform, which totals $19,726 in losses.