Judge Sentences Two Defendants to Prison for Defrauding Georgia Medicaid of Over $200K

The former owner of Georgia Family Services, Inc. (GFSS), a Medicaid provider, and her employee will serve prison time for stealing over $220,000.00 from Georgia Medicaid. Emeka Brown and Tonya Summerour Jackson pled guilty on Monday, July 23, 2012, in Fayette County Superior Court to Conspiracy to Defraud the State (O.C.G.A. § 16-10-21), Medicaid Fraud (O.C.G.A.§ 49-4-146.1 (b)) and False Statements and Writings (O.C.G.A. § 16-10-20). They were sentenced today by Senior Judge E. Byron Smith. Brown was sentenced to 10 years to serve one year in prison and was ordered to pay $111,000.00 in restitution. Jackson was sentenced to five years to serve 90 days in prison and ordered to pay $111,000.00 in restitution.

GFSS provided services for a Medicaid community mental health program called Intensive Family Intervention Services. Brown, the owner of GFSS, hired Jackson to handle Medicaid billing for the company. An investigation revealed that between July 2006 and April 2007, Brown and Jackson conspired to bill Medicaid for $222,000.00 in services that were never provided. They designed several schemes to fraudulently bill Medicaid, including altering records for a Medicaid recipient who did not qualify for the services, submitting false claims for services that were not provided and forging signatures on false patient progress notes. In an effort to conceal the scheme, Brown provided false records to investigators.

“The defendants in this case thought that they could scam the system for their own personal gain,” said Attorney General Sam Olens. “But, thanks to the diligent work of Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Department of Community Health staff, these individuals were brought to justice. We will continue to prosecute criminals who raid our State’s Medicaid fund to the fullest extent of the law.”

Senior Assistant Attorney General D. Williams-McNeely prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Georgia. The case was investigated by Investigator Tiffany Reed, Chief Investigative Auditor Anita Reddick, Criminal Analyst Vanda Russell and Special Agent Merlin Ector of the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.