PHOENIX — A cohort of Valley businesses and residents has been indicted for allegedly ripping off the state's Medicaid health system.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced Wednesday that his office had obtained an indictment in court against 13 individuals and 14 related business entities on criminal charges of conspiracy, theft, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise.
The accused persons and businesses are alleged to have fraudulently billed Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state's health provider for low-income residents, for millions of dollars of services they claim to have provided to AHCCCS patients.
The investigation developed allegations that accuse the defendants of overbilling or double-billing for services, billing for services that had not been rendered, and billing for AHCCCS patients who were deceased.
Some of the indicted businesses are agencies that work with vulnerable populations and individuals struggling with mental health.
According to the state's indictment, the alleged fraudulent schemes took place between January 2019 and October 2020.
The indicted business entities include:
- Sun Valley Services, Inc.
- Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S., Inc. (d/b/a Lutheran Indian Ministries)
- Gentle Touch Behavioral Health, LLC
- Together Time, LLC
- Nevada First Choice, LLC
- Good Samaritan Homes, LLC
- Agnes’ Center for Domestic Solutions
- Mary Group Home, a.k.a. Mary Group Home II
- Babbitt Bowers Behavioral Health
- A-Making Changes, LLC
- Ohana Behavioral Health, LLC
- L & L Investments, LLC
- Anchored Hearts, LLC
- Rising Youth, LLC
The 13 individuals facing criminal charges include:
- Dale Henson, 53
- Kevin Maulson, 60
- Russell Freeman, 51
- Paul Flaa, 56
- Ariel Dix, 34
- Charles Temple, 36
- Allen Jeter, 57
- Aaron Wright, 40
- Trisha Wright, 38
- Keyana Carter, 29
- Sharon Lawson, 48
- Thomas Battle III, 43
- Kayla Sol, 34
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