LOS ANGELES – Two women pleaded guilty Tuesday to defrauding Medi-Cal by submitting more than $500,000 in false and fraudulent claims for substance abuse counseling services supposedly provided to girls residing at Dimondale Adolescent Care Facility group homes in Lancaster, Long Beach and Carson.
The defendants each pleaded guilty in separate hearings to a federal health care fraud count, under which they each face up to 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
They were named in a 23-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in March 2018, charging both women with 21 counts of health care fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft stemming from the scheme that ran from 2009 through 2015.
The charges primarily involve services provided to girls residing at group homes in Lancaster, Long Beach and Carson — facilities where the defendants were not authorized to provide counseling. More than $500,000 in false and fraudulent claims for group and individual substance abuse counseling services was submitted and more than $260,000 on those claims was paid, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since it was published.
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Saddened says
This is so wrong, what about the people that really need help? Hope they get the maximum allowed.
JENNIFER ARES says
This kinda thing is RAMPANT in Glendale.
Fraud says
Cultural and economic enrichment…