OPINION:
The Trump administration continues to take seriously the challenge of identifying and eliminating fraud in government.
Vice President J.D. Vance leads the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. He was in Milwaukee this week to discuss efforts to curb waste, abuse and exploitation in federal benefit programs.
The timing was fitting. In late June, Brad Schimel, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and former Wisconsin attorney general, announced charges as part of a nationwide effort to crack down on fraud.
The U.S. Justice Department said, “The first charge announced was against Jasmine Cooper, 37, of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, who is charged by information with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud Wisconsin Medicaid.”
Ms. Cooper not only stole from taxpayers but also denied deserving people access to much-needed services. Specifically, she was supposed to be running a prenatal care program for at-risk pregnant women and women with children.
Instead, she allegedly submitted thousands of false claims, billing the Medicaid program for services that beneficiaries never received from her company.
From 2019 to 2022, Ms. Cooper allegedly submitted more than $5.8 million worth of fraudulent claims to the Wisconsin Medicaid program. Of those submitted, more than $5.4 million was allegedly paid to her.
The Justice Department said she “misstated the duration, frequency, date, and nature of services provided.”
Prosecutors recently charged people in four similar cases. In total, these schemes cost the Wisconsin Medicaid system more than $15.5 million from 2019 to 2022.
Others charged with fraud include Jimmy Davis Jr. from Milwaukee. He allegedly operated a business that provided nonemergency medical transports. He made false claims to the state Medicaid program from 2022 to 2024.
Zambia Bell of Milwaukee was charged with theft by fraud and medical assistance fraud. Ms. Bell was charged with fraudulently billing Medicaid for personal and home care services that were never rendered from 2015 to 2023.
Carolyn Franco of Baldwin was out of state, yet she billed the Wisconsin Medicaid program for personal and home care services from 2023 to 2024. She was charged with theft by fraud and medical assistance fraud.
Justice Department officials said the recent charges in Wisconsin are “part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.”
Earlier this year, Markita Barnes was sentenced to 121 months of incarceration for committing a healthcare fraud scheme through which she stole $2,361,799.17 from the Medicaid program meant to help at-risk pregnant women and women with young children.
Chief Judge Pamela Pepper explained that the significant sentence of incarceration she imposed was necessary to account for the seriousness of Barnes’ conduct and to send a message of deterrence to others who might engage in fraud against hardworking taxpayers.
“The FBI is dedicated to ensuring those who defraud the American people through healthcare fraud face justice,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “Markita Barnes devised a scheme in which she defrauded Medicaid of millions of dollars at the expense of at-risk mothers and children. The lengthy sentence and restitution order should serve as a warning to those who seek to enrich themselves through fraud. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat healthcare fraud and root out those who steal from the American people.”
We need elected and appointed leaders who are committed to eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in government. Thank you to Mr. Vance for coming to Wisconsin to highlight the work being done across government agencies to crack down on this problem and hold people accountable for their criminal actions.
• Scott Walker is a columnist for The Washington Times. He was the 45th governor of Wisconsin and launched a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He lives in Milwaukee and is the proud owner of a 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King. He can be reached at swalker@washingtontimes.com.
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