Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Friday the arrest of a woman for stealing more than $12,000 from a disabled adult.
According to an investigation by Attorney General Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Jessica Lyn Duvall served as the victim’s primary guardian before a new guardian was appointed.
Duvall collected the victim’s Social Security funds and spent the money on personal items instead of paying for the victim’s care.
Moody said, “This so-called guardian used her position of trust and authority to steal thousands of dollars from a disabled Floridian. Thankfully, my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigators stopped this fraud, and the suspect will now have to answer for her crimes.”
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According to the investigation, Duvall collected funds from the victim for more than a year. During part of that time, Duvall acted as the victim’s guardian.
At first, the victim lived with Duvall but eventually moved into a nursing home. Throughout the entire process, Duvall stole more than $12,000 from the victim, using the money to pay for non-care-related expenses.
The investigation found that once the victim moved to a nursing facility, Duvall never paid for the victim’s care.
Duvall is charged with one count of exploitation of a disabled person, $10,000 or more, a second-degree felony.
The case will be prosecuted by Attorney General Moody’s MFCU through an agreement with the State Attorney of the First Judicial Circuit, Ginger Bowden Madden.
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