Centreville Woman Pleads Guilty To Health Care Fraud

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on September 20, 2013, Valerie W. Johnson, 56, of Centreville, Illinois, pled guilty to a one-count indictment charging that she engaged in a scheme to commit health care fraud. Sentencing has been set for January 9, 2014, in United States District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois. Johnson will face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release.

During her plea hearing, Johnson admitted that she had submitted false and fraudulent bills in relation to her receipt of personal assistant services in the Home Services Program, a Medicaid Waiver Program designed to allow individuals to stay in their homes instead of entering a nursing home. Johnson admitted to falsely billing the program for $7,842.46 for services that were supposed to be performed by her son. During the days Johnson claimed her son provided services, her son was residing, working and attending school approximately 225 miles away in Springfield, Missouri.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Illinois State Police’s Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ranley R. Killian and William E. Coonan.

If you suspect or know of an individual or company that is not complying with healthcare laws or public aid programs, you may report this activity to the local office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General or call 1-800-447-8477.