Columbus woman indicted in statewide Medicaid fraud investigation
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus woman has been indicted as part of a statewide investigation into fraud charges through Medicaid.
According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, nine Medicaid providers are accused of stealing a combined total of $1.2 million from the government health-care program for the needy.
Included in the indictment is Lisa Forbes, of Columbus, who allegedly billed for in-home services when the recipient was hospitalized on seven separate occasions. Forbes, 39, admitted to authorities that she illegally billed a patient $6,523 when the recipient was in the hospital.
Forbes, who was employed by Grateful Hearts Healthcare Services, was investigated after the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit reviewed the individual cases and secured the indictments out of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.
Court documents note that Forbes is scheduled to appear in court on July 25 for an arraignment hearing.
Eight other Ohio defendants are also facing Medicaid fraud charges:
- Kenya Nevins, 45 (Dayton): $,1,835
- Erica Buford, 49 (Dayton): $1,888
- Shena Ellis-Wilson, 48 (Warrensville Hts.): $2,443
- Jazmine Reddick, 29 (Cleveland): $3,385
- Achana Brown, 47 (Maple Heights): $4,735
- Dalana Thompson, 54 (Cleveland): $143,731
- Desiree Reid, 53 (Maple Heights): $366,950
- James Ferguson, 28 (Cleveland): $,724,966