Former Fulton County Department of Family and Children Services Employee Pleads Guilty to Medicaid Fraud

Valeriy Molokandov pled guilty today in Fulton County Superior Court to two counts of Medicaid Fraud (O.C.G.A. § 49-4-146.1(b)) before Judge Christopher S. Brasher.

Molokandov was indicted for using his position as a Family Independence Case Manager with the Multi-County Refugee Resettlement Unit of the Fulton County Department of Family and Children Services to assist a number of family members and friends with fraudulently obtaining food stamps and Medicaid benefits for which they were not eligible. The indictment charges that Molokandov aided in falsely acquiring over $12,000.00 in benefits. He has since been terminated from his position.

Molokandov was sentenced to five years probation, serving the first year under intensive probation. He has been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12,351.94. Additionally, he may not receive public assistance benefits for the first two years of probation. Molokandov is still under indictment in GwinnettCounty for Fraud in Obtaining Public Assistance Benefits (O.C.G.A. § 49-4-15) and Conspiracy to Commit Fraud in Obtaining Public Assistance Benefits (O.C.G.A. § 16-4-8), for which he is accused of assisting his co-defendant in fraudulently obtaining $12,596.00 in food stamps. Co-defendant Rena Molokandova pled guilty to these charges on May 4, 2011.

Assistant Attorney General Greg Lohmeier prosecuted Molokandov on behalf of the State of Georgia. The case was investigated by Ralph Harper, formerly with the Department of Community Health, David Nave, formerly with the Department of Human Resources, and Jim Rees of the Georgia Department of Human Services.