HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL. – Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with the assistance of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, today arrested a business owner for stealing thousands of dollars from the Florida Medicaid program.
Rasheia James owned a home health care service company, STPM Services Of Florida, located in Riverview, that provided services for Medicaid recipients.
According to the investigation, James knowingly created and submitted falsified documents to Medicaid for services not rendered. James allegedly billed Medicaid more than $9,600 for services never provided to customers that needed health and personal support care.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Owning and operating a company that cares for patients is a noble endeavor—but abusing that ownership to defraud the Medicaid program out of thousands of dollars is shameless. Not only did James lie and falsify documents, but she intentionally stole taxpayer funds for personal benefit. I am thankful for my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit stopping this scheme and our statewide prosecutors will now hold her accountable.”
In an ongoing scheme, James benefited from willfully and intentionally defrauding the Florida Medicaid program by creating false billing information and progress notes used to obtain reimbursement from Medicaid.
As an authorized Medicaid provider for respite care services, James’s company is supposed to help consumers be active in the community and provide a home-like environment for consumers living in group homes, assisted-living facilities or adult-family care homes and help them make personal choices.
However, when James’s company discontinued work with a client, James continued to bill Medicaid for services not provided and lied to employees about the claims.
James is being charged with one count of Medicaid provider fraud, a third-degree felony, and scheme to defraud, another third-degree felony.
If convicted, James faces up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines. Attorney General Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute this case.
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There is a special place in hell for those who would use another person’s demise for their personal benefit! God bless the honest and hard working care organizations, most especially the hands-on care givers who work so hard and are grievously underpaid!