HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced felony charges against an Ohio man and woman for their roles in a scheme to defraud Pennsylvania’s Medical Assistance program out of nearly $50,000 and split the money.
John Miller, 57, of Orchard Dale Drive Northwest, Canton, Ohio, and Jeanette Turner, 36, of East Porter Street, Malvern, Ohio, were charged with theft by deception and provider prohibited acts for falsely submitting timesheets for Medicaid services that were never performed.
“This is a case of a Medicaid recipient moving out of state and fraudulently stealing Pennsylvania tax dollars, falsifying records for the care he was supposed to receive, and splitting the money with his co-conspirator for their own gain,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “Medicaid provides essential medical care to Pennsylvanians who require assistance with daily living. Criminals like these who defraud our Medicaid program will be held accountable.”
The investigation began last July when agents received a tip from the owner of Senior Helpers that Miller was living in Ohio and using his stepfather’s and mother’s Pennsylvania address to take advantage of PA’s Medicaid program. According to information Miller told a caregiver, Miller enlisted Turner as his caregiver, but she only helped him occasionally and they split the hourly wage she received.
Miller told the caregiver from Senior Helpers that when he did need services, he visited Pennsylvania and stayed in a hotel and called temporary services, like Senior Helpers. He also said that he shared a bank account with Turner.
Investigators discovered that Miller moved to Ohio in May 2015. Turner billed for 4,214.5 hours of personal care attendant services for Miller between May 2015 and November 2017 — a total of $46,983.36 in fraudulent claims to Medicaid.
“Our Medicaid Fraud Control Section will pursue anyone who defrauds this vital safety net for their own profit,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “We’re committed to ensuring the integrity of the Medical Assistance Program and will prosecute these frauds wherever we find them.”
Bail for Miller and Turner was set at $25,000 unsecured each. The preliminary hearing will be Thursday, April 26. The case will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Summer Carroll of the Office of Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Section.
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