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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced Friday that his office has taken legal action in several counties across the state for alleged Medicaid fraud in nursing homes.
Working with prosecutors, the Indiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has secured charges in eight cases as of June 23.
“Medicaid exists to protect our most vulnerable Hoosiers — not to line the pockets of greedy providers,” Rokita said in a press release Friday.
In Friday’s announcement, Rokita highlighted the eight cases in which his office investigated licensed health care professionals, medical offices and providers suspected of engaging in fraudulent activity.
Nearly all of the cases involved nurses who allegedly diverted controlled substances, such as fentanyl, from nursing homes. Several of the defendants then allegedly made falsified drug records.
“When unethical professionals steal from these programs, they don’t just commit fraud — they betray taxpayers and hurt the very people who need help most,” Rokita said. “My office will continue to partner with the Trump Administration and others to hunt down these criminals, recover every dollar possible, and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Since 2021, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which receives a majority of its funding through a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant, has obtained more than $100 million in funds lost to provider welfare fraud, according to the office.
Following are direct summaries of the cases provided by Rokita’s office:
State v. Brandy Rifner 48C05-2606-F6-001532
Brandy Rifner, 42 years old, of Fishers, IN, was charged by a charging instrument with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, a Level 6 Felony and Furnishing False or Fraudulent Information a Level 6 Felony in connection with the alleged diversion of fentanyl, a controlled substance. As alleged in the charging instrument, Rifner, allegedly diverted fentanyl and furnished false or fraudulent information or omitted information. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General, Kimberly Savoie of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
State v. Courtney Schaefer 19D01-2606-F6-000554
Courtney Schaefer, 40, of Bristow, IN, was charged by Probable Cause Affidavit with three counts of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud/ Deceit and Failure to Make, Keep, or Furnish a Record, all Level 6 Felonies, in connection with drug diversion of 13 tablets of Hydrocodone, 3 tablets of Pregabalin, and 3 tablets of Clonazepam. As alleged in the Probable Cause Affidavit, Schaefer, a Licensed Practical Nurse, diverted the controlled substances from a Dubois County nursing home and did not make controlled substance records as required by law. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
State v. Ki’Andreia James 49D23-2606-F6-017341
Ki’Andreia James, 39, of Indianapolis, IN, was charged by Probable Cause Affidavit with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit (Level 6 Felony) and Failure to Make, Keep, or Furnish a Record (Level 6 Felony) in connection with diverting at least 186 hydrocodone tablets. As alleged in the Probable Cause Affidavit, James, a Registered Nurse, diverted these narcotic drugs in the course of her work at a local nursing home. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
State v. Mackenzie Leigh Deyer 02D04-2606-F6-000794
Mackenzie Leigh Deyer, 26, of New Haven, Indiana, was charged by criminal charging information with Count 1: Fraud, a Level 6 Felony; Count 2: Fraud, a Class A Misdemeanor; Count 3: Fraud, a Level 6 Felony; Count 4: Theft, a Level 6 Felony; Count 5: Theft, a Class A Misdemeanor; Count 6: Theft, a Level 6 Felony; Count 7: Identity Deception, a Level 6 Felony; Count 8: Identity Deception, a Level 6 Felony; and Count 9: Identity Deception, a Level 6 Felony in connection with a series of alleged actions involving improper use of other people’s debit cards. As alleged in the charging instrument, Deyer was employed as a Home Health Aide at Evergreen Village, an assisted living facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she allegedly obtained access to several residents’ debit card information that she used to obtain property without the residents’ consent. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
State v. Paula McCarthy 32C01-2606-F6-000402
Paula McCarthy, 50, of Mooresville, IN, was charged by Probable Cause Affidavit with Obtaining a Controlled Substance with Fraud/Deceit, Furnishing False or Fraudulent Information, and Forgery, all Level 6 Felonies, in connection with drug diversion of oxycodone. As alleged in the Probable Cause Affidavit, McCarthy, a Registered Nurse, diverted this narcotic drug from a Hendricks County nursing home and then forged the signature of another nurse on a controlled substance record in an attempt to cover her tracks. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
State v. Tamara Smart 29D04-2606-F6-005237
Tamara Smart, 51, of Indianapolis, IN, was charged by Probable Cause Affidavit with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit (Level 6 Felony) and Failure to Make, Keep, or Furnish a Record (Level 6 Felony) in connection with drug diversion of oxycodone. As alleged in the Probable Cause Affidavit, Smart, a Licensed Practical Nurse, diverted the narcotics from a Hamilton County nursing home and did not make Controlled Substance Records as required by law. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
State v. Pecola Simpson 65C01-2606-F6-000355
Pecola Simpson, 50, of Evansville, IN, was charged by Probable Cause Affidavit with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit (Level 6 Felony) and Failure to Make, Keep, or Furnish Records (Level 6 Felony) in connection with drug diversion of over 30 units of hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and lorazepam. As alleged in the Probable Cause Affidavit, Simpson, a Licensed Practical Nurse, diverted the narcotics from a Posey County nursing home and did not make legally required Controlled Substance Records. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
State v. Teresa Waltz 65C01-2606-F6-000356
Teresa Waltz, 54, of Newburgh, IN, was charged by Probable Cause Affidavit with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit (Level 6 Felony) and Failure to Make, Keep, or Furnish Records (Level 6 Felony) in connection with drug diversion of over 60 units of hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, lorazepam, and tramadol. As alleged in the Probable Cause Affidavit, Waltz, a Registered Nurse, diverted the narcotics from a Posey County nursing home and did not make legally required Controlled Substance Records. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
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