Indictments handed up in Medicaid fraud investigation

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Several nurses providing services in Berkeley County have been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly defrauding Medicaid, the state DHHR announced Thursday.

The agency’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit sought and obtained the indictments against the owner and several workers of Martinsburg-based Staff Medical Inc. 247.

It’s alleged the defendants billed Medicaid for nearly $574,000 but they weren’t licensed nurses in West Virginia, which is required by state law. They provided in-home nursing services to people on Medicaid, according to Fraud Control Unit Deputy Director Richelle Garlow.

“They were aware of the requirements. We do have evidence that they had looked into the process of becoming licensed in the State of West Virginia but did not follow through with those procedures and billed for their services anyway,” Garlow said.

Those named in the indictments include: Judith A. Chi, 50, the owner of the company; Adeline A. Sims, 45; Michael B. Anu, 53; and Delphine F. Mbony, 47; all of Maryland, and Grace Yudom, 63, of Washington, D.C.

Garlow said nurses who are licensed in other states routinely secure licenses in West Virginia.

“It’s not a difficult process,” Garlow said. “They should have definitely been able to follow these steps had they intended to.”

According to the DHHR, each defendant is charged with three counts of Medicaid fraud and one count of fraudulent schemes. The criminal indictment also named Staff Medical Inc. 247 as a defendant. If convicted they face 1-10 years on the fraud charges and fines up to $10,000.

The alleged fraud took place for two years. It ended in 2015 after the Medicaid Fraud Control learned of the situation through the agency’s integrity office.





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