Local In-Home Healthcare Provider Indicted On Bank Fraud Charges

St. Louis, MO –   TINA KUEHL was indicted on bank fraud charges involving her fraudulent statements involving payment of a bank loan.
 
According to the indictment, in December 2010, Kuehl’s mother obtained a $305,000 property loan from the Community Bank of Owensville, MO, a branch of the Maries County Bank.  Both Kuehl and her mother are listed on the deed of trust for the property.  Kuehl made the loan payments using checks drawn on her personal bank accounts at several banks, including a business account in the name of Baby Boomers Health, LLC, which Kuehl owned and operated.  On many occasions, they did not make timely payments on the loan and in July 2013, Maries Bank foreclosed on the property.

The indictment alleges that after the foreclosure in July 2013, Kuehl devised a scheme to defraud Maries Bank by submitting fraudulent checks as proof that she had made loan payments to the bank. On six occasions, she changed the payee on copies of unrelated cancelled checks so that it would appear that she had made loan payments to Community Bank of Owensville. She allegedly continued the fraud by claiming to have made cash payments to a bank employee on two occasions. The bank employee was on sick leave on the day Kuehl claimed she made the first $4,000 cash payment to the employee at the bank. Kuehl claimed that she made a second cash payment of $6,900 to a bank employee at a truck stop. 

Finally, the indictment states that Kuehl retained attorneys to represent her after the foreclosure, and falsely told them she had made payments by checks and cash, which the bank had not credited to her loan account.  She also gave copies of the fraudulent documents, including the fraudulent checks, to her attorneys who presented the fraudulent documents to the bank.      

Kuehl, of Ballwin, Missouri,, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February on one felony count of bank fraud.  She is expected to appear in federal court today.

If convicted, bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and/or fines up to $1 million.  In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

In November 2013, Kuehl was indicted by a federal grand jury on five counts of health care fraud and one count of making false statements to federal agents. The trial of these offenses is scheduled for May 5, 2014.

This case was investigated by Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Dorothy McMurtry is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.